Red Bull targets Piastri if Verstappen leaves

Red Bull has identified Oscar Piastri as its preferred replacement for Max Verstappen if the four-time Formula 1 world champion leaves, takes a sabbatical, or retires, according to reports from Motorsport and Autosport citing several sources in the Miami paddock.

That matters because it shows Red Bull is preparing for a post-Verstappen scenario that would once have seemed remote, even while the team continues to insist publicly that its position has not changed and Verstappen remains under contract for next year.

The reports say the contingency plan is being driven by Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies and Oliver Mintzlaff in what is described as an "unlikely yet plausible" situation. Verstappen's future has become a live issue because he has reportedly been frustrated by Formula 1's regulations, with early retirement still mentioned as a possibility if he no longer wants to continue in the series.

For Red Bull, losing Verstappen would be more than losing a front-line driver. The team, described as employing more than 2,000 people, sees its lead driver as central to technical development, internal stability, and commercial strength. That is why it is not prepared to rely only on its junior system if circumstances change.

Red Bull has invested in Isack Hadjar, but the reports make clear the team does not see him as someone who can carry that burden yet. Piastri is the standout external option because he is young, already proven at the front, and fits a more flexible recruitment approach under Mekies rather than a strategy built almost entirely around the academy pipeline.

Any move would still be difficult. Piastri is under contract with McLaren until at least the end of 2027, which leaves McLaren in a strong position. But the reports note that Formula 1 has repeatedly shown contracts can become negotiable when a driver makes clear he wants to move, and in that scenario McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown would become a central figure in any talks.

Mark Webber could also become important if the situation develops. The former Red Bull driver remains Piastri's manager, and both reports suggest renewed dialogue with Red Bull would not be surprising if Verstappen's future shifts later in the season.

For now, this remains background planning rather than an active transfer battle. There are no concrete signals that Verstappen will leave or stop, and McLaren has stayed tight-lipped. But Red Bull's choice of Piastri as its Plan B shows the team is no longer treating a Verstappen exit as unthinkable, and that could shape the driver market well before 2027.