Max Verstappen dismisses 'waste of time' debate as Red Bull team-mate rumours fly

Max Verstappen has moved to shut down the debate surrounding which IndyCar driver would fare best in F1, in the wake of Alex Palou being linked to Red Bull.

The Spanish driver, who is a four-time champion in the American series, has been reported as a potential team-mate of the 27-year-old.

Whilst that speculation is unfounded, with the Milton Keynes squad likely to partner F1's four-time drivers' champion with either Isack Hadjar or Liam Lawson if Yuki Tsunoda is not retained, it has reignited the debate about moving from IndyCar to F1.

Red Bull has denied all ties, but the debate has been compounded by the news that Colton Herta will leave IndyCar for F2 and a year as a Cadillac F1 reserve driver as he fights for his dream of racing in the championship.

So, when Verstappen was asked about Palou due to the rumours flying around, he was quick to wave off a conversation he does not believe to be time well spent.

"It's always so difficult to say," the Red Bull driver told the media, including RacingNews365. "I know Alex already from go-karting times, and I think what he is achieving in IndyCar is incredible.

"It's so impressive to see, but it's impossible to know how people will do in F1, and it’s the same question the other way round – how would you do in Indycar? You have no idea."

Verstappen does not see the virtue in trying to guess how drivers might perform in other series.

"So, for me, it’s a bit of a waste of time to try to debate that," the 65-time grand prix winner added.

"I’m just so happy to see him doing so well in IndyCar and the way he's been dominating."