“Someone better than Max Verstappen will arrive”: former F1 driver on Red Bull’s 2026 future. Max Verstappen is widely regarded as the absolute benchmark in Formula 1 today.

Max Verstappen is widely regarded as the absolute benchmark in Formula 1 today, the driver against whom all others are measured. However, according to former F1 driver Derek Daly, even a champion of Max Verstappen’s caliber is not destined to remain unbeatable forever: sooner or later, someone will emerge capable of surpassing him.

Verstappen entered the 2025 season as a four-time consecutive world champion and was widely seen as the man to beat. Even with a McLaren that was technically more competitive than the Red Bull, the Dutch driver managed to assert himself and finish the championship just two points behind the new titleholder, Lando Norris. Max Verstappen’s performance earned unanimous praise, further cementing his reputation as a driver capable of making a difference even when technical conditions are not ideal.

Daly’s perspective

When asked about Red Bull’s new number 3 and the team situation, former driver Derek Daly commented: “I don’t think this elevates him any further,” referring to Verstappen’s surprising results in the season just concluded. “It actually strengthens him even more. He has already reached an incredibly high level. Let’s remember that not long ago Red Bull was in chaos.

“Christian Horner had been fired. There was no leadership. The car wasn’t competitive as it should have been, yet they managed to regroup as a team and almost stole the World Championship.”

Although Max Verstappen is now considered the reference point in the category, Derek Daly is convinced that this supremacy will not last forever. Starting next season, the four-time world champion will have the young Isack Hadjar by his side, in his second year in Formula 1. The Frenchman is only the latest in a long line of teammates expected to compete against Verstappen, many of whom struggled immensely in the comparison.

Isack Hadjar’s opportunity

Asked whether Isack Hadjar’s promotion was the right move, Daly answered realistically: “Historically, one would say no. But of course, if Red Bull calls Isack Hadjar and says, ‘We’d like to promote you,’ do you really think he would say no?

“Many would argue that if Isack Hadjar is as talented as he seems, next year will be the perfect opportunity for him to prove it. He just has to get close to Max to become a star.”

He concluded with a statement that serves as both a prediction and a reminder of the sport’s cyclical nature: “Sooner or later, someone will arrive who will be better than Verstappen.”