Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has revealed that Red Bull is "keeping very close tabs" on Oliver Bearman as a potential Max Verstappen replacement, if the Dutchman does leave the Milton Keynes-based team.
Speculation linking the four-time F1 drivers' champion to pastures new has dominated each silly season in the paddock since 2024, and the driver market again looks to be predicated upon whether Verstappen will be the prime mover this summer.
But with the 28-year-old most heavily tied to a McLaren or Mercedes move — but most likely the former at this stage — the anticipation is that Oscar Piastri would likely head to the Laurent Mekies-led squad.
However, Croft has suggested that may not be the case in a discussion about Bearman's prospects, who appears to have had his ascent to Ferrari "cut off", according to Martin Brundle.
"Ollie will be seeing that Charles Leclerc has re-signed at Ferrari, and Lewis Hamilton looks like he’s going to hang around for quite a few years now," the former F1 driver said on Sky Sports F1 in a conversation about the British driver.
"His route to the works Ferrari team has been cut off. At the same time, Haas, they’re the smallest team, and they’ve been struggling to develop that car and keep pace.
"He’s just got to keep doing what he does, somehow, Ollie, and he’s driving beautifully. It has put Esteban [Ocon] under a little bit of pressure for the future, and we’ll see where that team goes to.
"But he’s a little bit locked in at the moment. He might have to find a Plan B, Ollie Bearman."
Jenson Button, alongside Brundle and Croft, argued Bearman's future is contingent upon the performances of Lewis Hamilton, who, at 41 years of age, is approaching the end of his career.
"I think for him, stay focused right now. He's so young in this sport still, and he's proving himself," Button said of the Haas driver. "But for his management, yes, I think they need to be talking to other teams and other possibilities.
"Because he could get stuck at this team if Lewis decides to be as good as he is for many years to come."
With Verstappen now able to trigger the exit clause in his Red Bull contract, the six-time F1 constructors' champions will be working on back-up plans, with Bearman understood to be an option the team would be open to exploring.
"Over your shoulder is the Red Bull hospitality unit," Croft began. "Laurent Mekies, the team principal, was the man that signed Ollie Bearman to the Ferrari Academy.
"I know Red Bull are keeping very close tabs on Ollie Bearman. If he hasn’t got a way into the Scuderia, that might be a very good option for Red Bull and for Ollie."
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Originally published by RacingNews365 —
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