Red Bull suggested surprise Max Verstappen replacement candidate

Jolyon Palmer has named George Russell as a surprise but logical candidate for Red Bull if Max Verstappen leaves the team, describing a move for the Mercedes driver as "a complete no-brainer" should the four-time F1 drivers' champion head in the opposite direction.

The former Renault driver believes Red Bull's eventual Verstappen replacement would depend almost entirely on where the Dutchman ends up, with Russell emerging as one of three leading names on his shortlist alongside McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Verstappen's future at Red Bull has been the subject of intense speculation throughout the 2026 season, with the Dutchman understood to hold a performance-related break clause in his contract that could allow him to leave at the end of the year, despite being tied to the team until 2028, because he will reach the summer break outside the top two in the drivers' standings.

The 28-year-old has been visibly frustrated this season, suffering repeated mechanical failures, including two high-speed crashes in consecutive weekends caused by a recurring rear-wing issue he described as "super dangerous."

Combined with a lack of competitiveness, disagreements over car setup decisions, and the departure of key figures, including former team principal Christian Horner last July, the environment around Verstappen has shifted considerably from the one that powered his four consecutive titles.

McLaren and Mercedes links refuse to go away

McLaren and Mercedes remain the two most frequently mentioned destinations. Zak Brown and Toto Wolff have both publicly ruled out a move for Verstappen, with Wolff reaffirming his commitment to Russell and Kimi Antonelli, while Brown has stressed his satisfaction with Norris and Piastri.

Yet the rumours persist, with multiple paddock sources suggesting McLaren and Verstappen have held discussions.

Were Verstappen to join Mercedes, Russell would almost certainly be the driver to make way. Antonelli, still only 19, is viewed as Mercedes' long-term cornerstone; cheaper, more flexible on contract terms, and central to the team's junior programme identity.

That scenario is what makes Palmer's suggestion particularly intriguing. While Russell has not traditionally been framed as an obvious Red Bull target, a Verstappen move to Mercedes could suddenly put one of F1's most proven race winners within reach.

As for a McLaren switch, Piastri's manager Mark Webber has branded the speculation linking his client to Red Bull as "nonsense," with the understanding being that the Australian wants to remain at McLaren for the foreseeable future.

Palmer, however, believes Red Bull would need to act decisively, and that the domino effect of Verstappen's departure would naturally present them with a top-tier option.

"Red Bull would have to go all out for a big name. There's no doubt about that. So probably you've got a couple of names that they would go for. Maybe you could throw in three," Palmer told Lottoland.

"And it would be wherever Max ends up, the seat that he's taking, basically.

"Oscar could be the one," he stated. "McLaren have won the title with Lando. I think, again, it depends with one of those two drivers.

"They won it really well last year because they kept both drivers very happy. It would have been very easy for one to really feel shafted, but at the moment, they're both still motivated, and they work well together.

"I think if there was more animosity there, then that would be such an obvious move for Max to go to McLaren instead of one or the other. They would, both of them, be great candidates to go to Red Bull if it happened.

"And then the other one is George," Palmer added. "If Max did go to Mercedes, George to Red Bull, I think, would be a complete no-brainer for him because it would be another great opportunity."