Jolyon Palmer has suggested that we could be in for a ‘magical’ 2025 Formula 1 season if Max Verstappen leaves Red Bull and is replaced by one of his current rivals.
Speaking ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen has clarified his feelings on his future having been linked with moves to Mercedes and Aston Martin due to turbulence behind the scenes at Red Bull.
However, on The Chequered Flag Podcast, Jolyon Palmer has been talking about what moves in the F1 driver market could be needed to inject some excitement into the sport.
Palmer shares two driver moves that would make the 2025 F1 season magical
With more than half of the grid out of contract at the end of the year, plenty of drivers are fighting to save their careers in the upcoming races.
There are so many factors at play both on the track and behind the scenes such as Audi’s upcoming takeover of Sauber.
Right now, every potential move hinges on who Mercedes choose to replace Lewis Hamilton with.
Fernando Alonso is a name on their list, but he will sit down with Aston Martin first before listening to any offers.
His fellow countryman Carlos Sainz knows he needs to find a new team after losing his spot at Ferrari to Hamilton and will have plenty of options to choose from.
However, the market could be blown open if Max Verstappen ultimately decides to leave Red Bull.
It would be a bold call to abandon the fastest car on the grid but stranger things have happened in Formula 1.
Palmer thinks a huge change in 2025 would be ‘magical’ for the sport and considering how predictable the racing at the front of the grid has become, it’s hard to disagree.
Palmer thinks Albon could be the answer if Verstappen moves on
Talking about next season’s grid, Palmer said: “It could be next year, maybe he’s [Max Verstappen] off to Mercedes!
“If you swap Verstappen into Mercedes and you put an Alex Albon into a Red Bull, it could be a magical year next year!”
Alex Albon has experience with Red Bull already and is highly rated by the engineers within the team.
The £45,000-a-week driver was brilliant for Williams in 2023 but hasn’t had as much luck this season in a much-changed car.
Why would Max Verstappen leave Red Bull?
It has to be said that the thought of Verstappen leaving Red Bull still seems very unlikely but if Helmut Marko moves on, then that might be the catalyst for real change.
There’s also the upcoming change to Red Bull’s power units with Honda leaving the team in 2026 and joining Aston Martin instead.
If Verstappen has concerns about how quick Red Bull will be when their partnership with Honda ends, then that could force him to consider his options.
There are also ongoing frustrations between Christian Horner and his father Jos Verstappen.
It’s not affecting his performances on track thus far, but if Horner remains with the team, then Verstappen Jnr is in for an uncomfortable few years with the team if he sees out his contract until 2028.
Would Albon be the next option for Red Bull?
If the 2025 season is going to be the ‘magical’ campaign Palmer wants it to be, then mixing up the drivers at the top teams would create an added layer of intrigue for fans.
Sergio Perez has entered the final year of his contract but back-to-back second-place finishes have eased the pressure on the Mexican.
Visa Cash App RB driver Daniel Ricciardo was being lined up as a potential replacement but Helmut Marko isn’t as keen on that option as Christian Horner.
Alex Albon would make sense given his previous relationship with the team and his marked improvement since leaving the Red Bull group.
Natalie Pinkham has suggested he would be ‘chomping at the bit’ to join a quicker team and there’s no one faster than Red Bull right now.
The post ‘If you swap’: Jolyon Palmer says 2025 season will be ‘magical’ if £45k-a-week driver replaces Max Verstappen appeared first on F1 Oversteer.