Red Bull has set its sights on Oscar Piastri as the ideal successor to Max Verstappen, should the four-time Formula 1 world champion decide to part ways with the team, according to sources confirmed in the Miami paddock. While Verstappen remains under contract for next season and the team insists he's staying put, team principal Laurent Mekies and Oliver Mintzlaff are preparing for a scenario—unlikely but plausible—where Verstappen jumps to another outfit, takes a sabbatical, or exits F1 entirely.
For a team with over 2,000 employees, a driver is more than just an athlete; they're the cornerstone of technical development, internal stability, and commercial success. That's why relying solely on the junior academy isn't enough. While Red Bull has invested in rising star Isack Hadjar, he's not yet ready to carry the weight of the entire operation.
Interestingly, Piastri's manager Mark Webber was notably absent from the Bahrain pre-season tests. This season, the McLaren driver has chosen to work with Pedro Matos, his former F2 engineer at Prema. Moving away from Webber's constant presence suggests a deliberate effort to streamline internal dynamics and foster more direct communication with the team. Piastri's decision to drop Webber from his trackside entourage has brought calm to the McLaren garage—and results. After a rocky start to the season, he's already secured podiums in Japan and Miami.
Piastri appears to be performing seamlessly both on and off the track, with no lingering tension from the end of last season clouding his relationship with the team. Meanwhile, Webber may be exploring new opportunities. A renewed dialogue with Red Bull, his former team, wouldn't come as a surprise.
To truly understand the logic behind these moves, look at the deeper transformation within Red Bull: Helmut Marko's departure. For over two decades, Marko built a clear-cut philosophy—grow young talents to sit alongside a proven lead driver. It worked flawlessly with Sebastian Vettel and then Daniel Ricciardo. Now, with a new era dawning, Piastri could be the next piece of that legacy.