To watch Max Verstappen methodically but seemingly inevitably reeling in the previously dominant McLaren pairing of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, it's easy to forget that just over three months ago speculation was rampant that he had lost interest in this season and was even planning his exit from Red Bull.

Sergio Perez says partnering Max Verstappen at Red Bull is so difficult that even Lewis Hamilton would struggle

The Frenchman replaced long-serving team boss Horner when the Briton was axed in the wake of the British Grand Prix. He was dismissed after a controversial 18 months that started when a female employee accused him of sexual harassment, for which he was twice cleared.

Jacques Villeneuve has named four-time and reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou as the "perfect" driver to occupy the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen in 2026.

After the Dutch Grand Prix brought the campaign back into action following the summer break, Verstappen was 103 points behind World Championship leader Oscar Piastri. Four races later, that deficit stands at 40, and over the last couple of rounds, Red Bull have boasted the fastest car in the field.

Helmut Marko has laughed off McLaren’s suggestion that Red Bull is risking its 2026 prospects by continuing to upgrade its current RB21.

Max Verstappen lost interest in Formula One during Red Bull ’s struggles earlier in the season, Helmut Marko has revealed. Verstappen was more than 100 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri before F1 ’s summer break, during a tumultuous campaign which saw Red Bull sack team principal Christian Horner.

While the 38-year-old Hulkenberg is unlikely to get the nod from Helmut Marko ahead of his in-house options, the Red Bull advisor is close to making a decision. The Milton Keynes squad are expected to decide their driver pairings after this weekend’s Mexican GP.