A shifting of the guard is unfolding in Formula 1. With just a handful of races remaining until the season’s end, the 2025 world championship narrative is painted not in Red Bull blue but in McLaren papaya. The British team’s stars, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, have rewritten the metrics of dominance this term, with 11 1-2 finishes, four pole-to-flag triumphs, and an unyielding pace that has left reigning four-time champ Max Verstappen trailing in their wake.
One only needs to take a look at the online betting sites to see just how far out of contention the Dutchman is. While Formula One betting sites have Oscar Piastri priced as the -175 favorite, with teammate Norris just behind at +130, Verstappen is a whopping +6600 underdog, and a relative no-hoper. The four-time champion of the world now chases ghosts—not glory—in a Red Bull suffering from missteps and mechanical malaise.
Such adversity has detonated the rumor mill. Verstappen’s dissatisfaction is said to run deep, and each Grand Prix is heralded as perhaps his last for Red Bull. Whispers of a sensational Mercedes switch—impossible to ignore now—have roiled the paddock. In a sport where the margins are measured in thousandths, uncertainty is fatal.
If Verstappen walks, Milton Keynes must reposition overnight. Who, then, steps up? Here are the leading candidates.
George Russell
Should Verstappen make his long-telegraphed leap to Mercedes, the most direct trade-off lies in George Russell. A Grand Prix winner, the talented Brit has wrestled consistently with motorsport’s titans, silencing doubters by outqualifying Lewis Hamilton over single laps and wringing podiums from tricky machinery. This is a driver with a brain for technical nuance and an ice-cool temperament; his average race finish this term remains inside the top six, a beacon amid Mercedes’ own tribulations.
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Red Bull values more than lap time. In Russell, they’d inherit a leader in every sense, one whose reputation for engineering feedback is prized by designers and strategists alike. Off-track, he’s the marketable, articulate talent who anchors a fanbase and reassures sponsors. If the mechanics of a blockbuster driver swap are possible—and 2026’s contract reset offers a window—Russell is the standard to which all replacements must be compared. A move of this magnitude not only plugs Verstappen’s statistical gap but also preserves organizational continuity in a time of crisis.
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull’s legacy, though, is written in bold strokes. Where others see risk, this team has so often seen reward; few can forget their elevation of a 17-year-old Verstappen a decade ago. In 2025, Isack Hadjar is the name on every junior insider’s lips. Currently on form with the Racing Bulls – Red Bull’s sister team – Hadjar’s rookie campaign has been stellar: three Q3 appearances, a storming fifth at Silverstone, and an overtaking prowess that unsettles midfield veterans. Statistically, he’s sliced over two tenths from his qualifying delta across the year—an affirmation that the adaptation curve is trending steeply upward.
A promotion would be more than pipelines and PR. Hadjar fits the modern F1 profile—agile on and off the track, hungry for data, unfazed by expectation. In a season where Red Bull’s machinery has failed its greatest superstar, gambling on explosive potential – and a manageable salary – represents both philosophical consistency and competitive ambition. He may lack battle scars, but so did Verstappen when the fateful call-up came.
Carlos Sainz
But what of resilience? Over at Williams, Carlos Sainz is drafting his own saga—a multiple-race winner with Ferrari, the Spaniard has it all.
His move down the grid to facilitate Lewis Hamilton’s move to Maranello was certainly somewhat disappointing, and seeing him snapped up by Red Bull would be a deserved charge back toward the front of the grid. The 30-year-old is that rare driver whose tire management and race-craft live up to statistical scrutiny: an average improvement of three positions per race, the lowest DNF rate on the grid, and a reputation for reading a developing contest with uncanny clarity.
His history with Red Bull adds another layer of intrigue. Once a torpedo in the junior programme, Sainz knows the demands and culture of Milton Keynes. The obstacle is contractual—with Williams banking on him to steward their own rebuild, a pricey buyout stands between rumor and reality. Yet, as 2026 contracts swirl and power dynamics shift, Red Bull could make the kind of decisive move that transforms backroom whispers into paddock shockwaves.
Liam Lawson
No discussion is complete without the ever-patient Liam Lawson, a graduate of Red Bull’s system who carries the quiet weight of unfinished business. The Kiwi was charged with replacing Sergio Perez at the start of the season, but his stint in the works Red Bull car lasted just two races before being replaced by Yuki Tsunoda. Should Verstappen depart and neither of the more marquee options be available, then Lawson could well get a second chance.
The knock on Lawson has never been ability, but rather “headline” value. Is he the bold new face for a post-Verstappen era, or an insurance policy who brings stability when the carousel of stars leaves seats unfilled? Red Bull may shy from risk, especially with a technical overhaul coming in 2026, and a steady hand like Lawson’s might be the lifeline the project quietly requires.
