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Max Verstappen’s F1 future is in the air – but as the Red Bull junior programme continues at pace, is there another superstar on the rise?
Former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes Dutch talent Rocco Coronel could be the “successor” to Max Verstappen. Verstappen holds an impressive record in F1 with four titles and over 70 wins but has expressed uncertainty about his future due to lack of enjoyment with the new 2026 cars. Red Bull’s junior driver program has launched many F1 careers, and Coronel, a rising star, caught Marko’s eye during a 2024 test. Coronel will move up to single-seater racing as a Red Bull junior this year and Marko has praised his maturity and confidence, hinting at a potential future with the team. Despite Marko’s departure from Red Bull at the end of 2025, Coronel is set to compete in the Spanish Formula 4 series, looking to follow in the footsteps of his esteemed predecessor.
