Max Verstappen’s departure from Red Bull could be disastrous for Christian Horner. He will face countless questions, particularly about his replacement.

Red Bull is a team that has almost always risen from within. When Mark Webber retired at the end of 2013, his compatriot Daniel Ricciardo made the jump from Toro Rosso.

And when Sebastian Vettel joined Ferrari a year later, Horner again looked to the sister team for Daniil Kvyat. But could they repeat the feat here?

Verstappen’s teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, is out of contract at the end of the season and has been unconvinced since replacing Liam Lawson. Isack Hadjar has a chance of moving up to Red Bull, but even he has questioned his readiness for the Milton Keynes team.

Although Helmut Marko sees Arvid Lindblad as a long-term successor to Verstappen, the youngster must first prove his worth at Racing Bulls. In short, Red Bull might need to sign an established race winner if their team’s superstar leaves.

Christian Horner praises Mercedes driver George Russell “with remarkable frequency.”

According to a report from Auto Motor und Sport, Horner believes he might “need” to sign George Russell. This would be somewhat surprising given his recent tension with Verstappen.

Russell fiercely criticized Verstappen’s aggressiveness late last year amid a grid penalty dispute in Qatar. Last weekend in Canada, the Mercedes driver joked about taking advantage of his rival’s penalty situation while on the verge of a race suspension.

Following Russell’s victory, Red Bull filed a controversial protest, alleging unsportsmanlike behavior behind the safety car. This could reignite tensions between the two teams, but Toto Wolff and Horner have reason to maintain their relationship.

It’s surprising that Wolff avoids criticizing Verstappen, even after the Dutchman’s widely criticized collision with Russell in Spain. He wants to build a bridge to eventually bring the four-time world champion to Mercedes.

Journalist Michael Schmidt also points out that Horner praises Russell with remarkable frequency. He knows he can’t mess things up, given that he could sign the former Williams driver one day.

Christian Horner hinted at George Russell’s interest some time ago, amid rumors about Max Verstappen.

At last fall’s Singapore GP, Horner confirmed Red Bull’s interest in Russell. He said it would be foolish not to consider a driver of that caliber.

Although he’s technically on the market as his contract with Mercedes nears its end, Russell is expected to sign a new deal soon.

However, his last contract only lasted two years, and a renewal in this case would open the door to Red Bull. Horner has held informal talks with Russell to keep him on track.

Russell’s long-awaited contract extension will bring Verstappen closer to remaining at Red Bull. But this story could continue next year.

Signed by Mercedes in 2022, Russell has achieved four wins, six pole positions and 20 podiums in his first 138 races.