Mercedes has spent years watching Red Bull’s driver lineup, hoping to scout Lewis Hamilton’s replacement. Now, the tables could soon turn.

Johnny Herbert thinks Kimi Antonelli has what it takes to step in for Max Verstappen if Verstappen decides he’s done with Formula 1.

During the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen was pretty open about his doubts. He’s not thrilled about the direction F1’s heading, especially with the new battery-focused racing. He didn’t hide his feelings. “I don’t get upset about it,” he said. “I don’t get disappointed or frustrated anymore. You know how I feel; I don’t need to say it again. There’s a lot I need to figure out for myself.”

He said even more the next day, “I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock. Is it worth it? Or do I actually enjoy being home with my family and friends more, since I’m not enjoying the sport so much?”

But the funny thing is, you can say whatever you want in the end, your actions say more. Just a day after the Japanese GP, Verstappen was back to doing what he loves: racing. While his teammates were testing tyres at Suzuka, he was tearing up the Nürburgring in a Mercedes GT3 car and absolutely loving it.

So, if Verstappen leaves, where does that leave Red Bull?

Technically, Verstappen’s contracted through 2028, but let’s be real, if he wants out, Red Bull isn’t going to force him to stay. They already have a solid backup: Isack Hadjar, who’s been impressive in his first season, but honestly, he’s not Max. There’s also Arvid Lindblad, who shows promise for the future. Still, Red Bull needs more than unproven talent; they need a star.

This is where Johnny Herbert suggests they look to Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. Right now, Antonelli is racing against George Russell for a shot at leading Mercedes. But at Red Bull, Antonelli would get the top spot all to himself.

“There’s always another one coming up. Right now, it’s Kimi,” Herbert told RN365. “He’s the next generation. Will he be better than Max? Maybe.”

Herbert sees a pattern: Ayrton Senna set the bar, then Lewis Hamilton arrived and achieved what Schumacher did, and then Verstappen raised it again. The sport’s best drivers keep taking things to the next level. He thinks Antonelli could be the next replacement, the new “wow” driver.

Even so, Herbert would rather see Verstappen keep racing with Red Bull. “Yes, he’d be missed, absolutely,” Herbert said. “I hope he stays put. I don’t want him to leave. I love watching him. He’s got that ‘wow factor.’ There are times I just think, ‘wow, I couldn’t do that.’”

Max Verstappen didn’t hold back after a rough weekend at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix, making it clear the RB22’s chassis is where Red Bull really needs to step up. He struggled just to stay ahead of an Alpine, and for a guy with four titles, that stings.

Things started going sideways in qualifying; he dropped out in Q2 and had to start 11th on the grid. At first, it looked like he might be able to turn things around. Verstappen got off the line well, jumped past Gabriel Bortoleto, slipped by teammate Isack Hadjar, and then picked off Esteban Ocon and a Haas. That bumped him up to eighth, and after a pit stop for hard tyres under the safety car, things didn't look terrible. Respectable, but not where you expect to see Verstappen.

But then he got stuck behind Pierre Gasly’s Alpine. Gasly wasn’t in the mood to make life easy for his old Red Bull teammate. He defended hard, Verstappen couldn’t find a way by, and seventh slipped right out of reach. Not only did Verstappen lose out, but Alpine leapfrogged Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, another sign this season isn’t off to a great start. With Hadjar finishing out of the points too, it’s officially Red Bull’s worst season start since 2015.

Verstappen didn’t mince words afterwards. “I’m always talking with the team,” he told reporters. “We need to figure out this new package. I don’t think it worked that well here. We’ve had a ton of stability problems, and we need to find a more stable balance, plus get a better handle on the engine and deployment. Just be stronger all around.”

Gasly was on top of his game. Even when Verstappen managed to slip past in the Casio Triangle, Gasly punched right back, using his battery deployment and racing sense to reclaim the spot on the main straight. You could feel Verstappen’s frustration at one point; he jokingly waved Gasly back past as the Alpine flew by, which probably says it all.

Now, with the Miami GP over a month away, Red Bull’s got time to dig deep and figure out how to right the ship. Verstappen himself is off to the Nordschleife, getting ready for the Nurburgring 24 Hours in a Mercedes AMG GT3, but you can bet conversations with Red Bull management are coming first.

He’s also baffled and pretty annoyed by the new F1 regulations, especially the need to manage the battery during a qualifying lap. Drivers now have to lift and coast through corners like 130R, sometimes losing 70 km/h due to “Super Clipping,” which just kills the rhythm. “It’s confusing,” Verstappen said. “Now you go faster in qualifying by going slower, less throttle, more lifting. That’s not how it should be.”

It’s not just qualifying that’s a headache. The race showed off some of the dangers these new rules bring. Oliver Bearman had a nasty crash at the Spoon Curve after he ran up on a much slower Franco Colapinto, a 50G impact that left him limping, but thankfully unhurt. The FIA said they’ll hold meetings in April to look at these new regs, so maybe changes are on the way.

For Red Bull and Verstappen, though, there’s no sugarcoating it. The car’s off the pace, and frustration is running high. There’s a lot of work ahead if they want to join the fight at the front again.