Red Bull and Max Verstappen are in a tricky spot with his contract expiring, and the team looking like they are a step behind Mercedes and McLaren.
For the time being, Verstappen is stuck with Red Bull, though if the team is not in the top two by the summer break, he could break his contract and leave one year early.
Mercedes remains clearly a tier above the rest of the field, while McLaren has made major gains. Ferrari is also pacing faster than Red Bull overall, but Verstappen was able to get ahead of both Scuderia drivers in Miami.
It is likely that the clause will be activated, making Verstappen the most sought-after driver on the market.
May 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Isack Hadjar (6) during Sprint qualifying before the Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
There is no guarantee that Verstappen will want to continue racing, as the new cars have drawn major criticism from the Dutch driver.
He has teased a possible retirement and stepping away from the sport due to a dislike of the new regulations that have brought controversial changes to the power unit, making them much more reliant on electric power.
This leaves Red Bull on the verge of losing Verstappen, either due to his displeasure with the cars or the success of rivals attracting him to a new team.
The options for Red Bull
With a move possibly on the cards, Red Bull needs to look long-term and start assessing its options in case he leaves.
Alex Kalinauckas of The Athletic outlined some of the possible drivers who could step into the lead car role.
He noted that Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, and Alex Albon, all former Red Bull juniors, could be reasonable options given their leadership, experience, and status on the grid.
Gasly has been thriving as the head man at Alpine, serving as the team’s true steady force amid a ton of upheaval. Sainz and Albon have been struggling with the 2026 Williams car, which is far behind the rest of the field in terms of pace.
Still, Albon has a reputation as a driver who has made the most of what Williams has offered over the years, and Sainz was a hot commodity not long ago before his options dried up.
Their bad experiences under the prior Red Bull regime are no longer an obstacle now that Christian Horner has left, and new team principal Laurent Mekies could offer them a fresh start.
