Max Verstappen believes that it would be ‘odd’ for Red Bull to turn to Fernando Alonso next season as the reigning champions continue to weigh up options for the second seat alongside the Dutchman. The veteran Spaniard is out of contract this winter and has been heavily linked with a fairytale late-career move.

Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, a report from The Race claimed that Alonso was ‘pushing very hard’ to be in contention for a seat with Red Bull as he looks to climb the pecking order and return to race-win contention, over a decade on from his latest trip to the top step of the podium. 

Speaking to Dutch news outlet De Limburger about the speculation, Verstappen said: “It doesn’t matter to me who’s next to me, I also told that to the team. I will always believe in myself and in my opinion, I am the best out of everyone. But if you ask me, I would find it odd to hire a driver that’s 42 years old. 

“Red Bull have always had the tradition of training young drivers themselves. The signing of Sergio Perez already differentiates from that tradition, and especially now with a driver that’s 42. I can get along with Fernando very well, that’s not the issue, but I am also looking at the future of the team. Ultimately, it is up to them to determine who drives where.”

While Alonso is keen to show that he is the right man to partner Verstappen in 2025, the incumbent second driver at Red Bull is confident that he can extend his stay with the Milton Keynes-based team beyond the end of his current contract. 

“The situation is that we are happy, team and driver,” Perez said in Suzuka. “I believe it’s just a matter of time before we sit down and try to get to an agreement to extend my contract, but at the moment there’s not a lot more to say.”

Just six months ago, the possibility of Perez securing a contract extension seemed extremely unlikely, but the Mexican driver has followed up a strong return to form at the end of the 2023 campaign with two P2 finishes and a P5 in Australia, despite carrying damage for most of the race.

With the door at Red Bull likely to be closed, Alonso’s hopes of securing a top-team seat for the 2025 campaign lie with Mercedes, who are still waiting to confirm their replacement for the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.