Helmut Marko says one of Max Verstappen’s rivals ‘would have fitted very well’ at Red Bull

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Red Bull have arguably spent the last seven years searching for a truly convincing teammate for Max Verstappen. The closest they came was Sergio Perez, who helped them win two constructors’ championships.

But when Red Bull’s spell of dominance came to an end last year, Perez fell away. The team were so concerned by his descent into the midfield that they terminated his contract.

Two more drivers have taken on what is perhaps F1’s toughest challenge this year. Liam Lawson lasted just two races, while Yuki Tsunoda is expected to lose his seat at the end of the season.

Tsunoda is the fifth different driver to partner Verstappen since Daniel Ricciardo left in 2018. But as Helmut Marko explained on this week’s Beyond the Grid podcast, Red Bull nearly signed one driver who could have prevented the second-driver crisis altogether.

Helmut Marko recalls Red Bull’s failure to sign Lando Norris

Speaking last year, Marko said he had a contract ready for Lando Norris to join Toro Rosso. But McLaren were able to promote him from their driver academy to an F1 seat.

Now, the Austrian admits that Norris ‘would have fitted very well’ at Milton Keynes. Having just won his 11th Grand Prix in Brazil, he’s on course for a first world championship.

Having impressed against Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and now Oscar Piastri, there’s every reason to believe that Norris could challenge Verstappen at Red Bull, even if beating him may be a bridge too far.

“We were at a very early stage in negotiations with Lando Norris,” Marko said. “In the end, we didn’t get him, but I think he would have fitted very well to us.

“On the other hand, we can’t have everybody. We are looking for champions.”

Helmut Marko disagrees with Sergio Perez about Max Verstappen’s Red Bull supremacy

Sergio Perez says no driver could cope alongside Verstappen – not even Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc – because the car is designed around his unique preferences.

Marko says Verstappen’s ‘feel’ makes the difference, so the success of Red Bull’s second driver may come down to certain natural gifts.

Isack Hadjar is expected to replace Tsunoda for the 2026 season as Red Bull continue their policy of promoting from within rather than shopping the market.

Marko has compared Hadjar to Senna, suggesting he may have the talent to break the cycle. The Frenchman has perhaps generated more hype than any Red Bull junior since Verstappen’s emergence a decade ago.