Max Verstappen’s future continues to fuel speculation in this idle month of April, and one question is already coming back: who will take his place when the Dutchman decides to turn the page?
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Verstappen is going through a complicated start to the 2026 season with Red Bull Racing, now trailing in the hierarchy.
This context is accompanied by a deeper malaise: he no longer hides his dislike for the current single-seaters, which are too dependent on energy management and deployment, limiting his driving pleasure.
Exit strategy
While the Dutchman hopes to see adjustments for 2026 and 2027, he is already considering an early departure before his contract expires in 2028.
Asked about the impact of a potential departure in the podcast he shares with his friend Damon Hill for The Race, former driver Johnny Herbert qualifies: “I would say yes, this event would be an earthquake to some extent, especially for his fans.”
But he points out that Formula 1 has always known how to renew itself: “When we lost Ayrton Senna, then Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, Mika Häkkinen, they were all replaced.”
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In this logic, Herbert already sees Kimi Antonelli (19 years old) as the potential successor. The young Italian has been impressing since the start of the season with two wins in three races: “There is always the next one, and who is the next one today? Kimi. He represents the new generation coming through. Will he be better than Max? Potentially.”
The “Wow” factor!
For Herbert, Antonelli is part of the continuity of the great figures of the discipline: Ayrton, Michael, Lewis, Max… and now Kimi, the next “wow factor”.
While the British veteran acknowledges that Verstappen could be replaced on the track, he remains attached to his presence: “Yes, he would be missed, absolutely. I hope he keeps his feet – and the rest – in the cockpit. He has that ‘wow’ factor. Even I sometimes say to myself: ‘Wow, I couldn’t do that’. It’s brilliant, that’s how it should be.”
He therefore hopes that Verstappen will stay on track, while understanding his current lack of pleasure. In his experience, even the greatest drivers always end up being replaced.
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