Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has suggested Alpine could be a dark horse in the race to sign Max Verstappen for 2026.
The four-time world champion's frustration with Red Bull's performance in Bahrain was palpable, with insiders speculating that a performance-related exit clause in his contract could be activated later this year.
"I think Red Bull would be in big trouble if Max Verstappen left the team," ex-Ferrari driver Felipe Massa told Viaplay. "If he were driving for McLaren, the team could win every race of the championship," he added.
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko left Bahrain voicing concerns about retaining Verstappen, 27, for 2026. "At the moment, we are the fourth team," he said.
"We need to get our performance back in the car as soon as possible," Marko continued. "And our standards back," he stressed.
"If the car isn't the fastest and the pitstops aren't working as well, that's unacceptable," he concluded.
Throughout 2024, Verstappen was frequently linked with a move to Mercedes for the transformative 2026 regulations. Ralf Schumacher believes Verstappen's unease extends beyond this season's form to Red Bull's new in-house powertrains project.
"I'm pretty sure that if the next upgrades don't take effect by Imola, and—I'm just talking about rumours—the new engine isn't running well, Max will definitely leave the team," he told Sky Deutschland.
"As for the rival teams, you can see the difference he makes," Schumacher said. "As a team boss, you absolutely must try to get this driver," he added.
Aston Martin, despite its current lack of pace, is another option, with Adrian Newey designing its 2026 car. "We're halfway through a journey that we've begun together," Fernando Alonso said in Saudi Arabia this week.
"I think Aston Martin is going to win a world championship," he predicted.
Schumacher, however, believes Verstappen holds the keys to any team. "There will be room for Verstappen everywhere," the six-time grand prix winner said.
"I think Mercedes will want to make room, but also that McLaren would consider it," he noted. "Zak Brown, like everyone else, is interested in Max Verstappen," he added.
Schumacher then introduced a surprise contender: Alpine. "It's a team we keep forgetting, but they could absolutely play a role," he said.
"Flavio Briatore is bringing Mercedes engines to his team next season, and look at how strong Pierre Gasly was in Bahrain," he pointed out. "The car can't be that bad," he reasoned.
"With an extra 30 horsepower from the Mercedes engine, Alpine could suddenly become a hot candidate for Verstappen," he suggested.
Last year, Carlos Sainz chose between midfield teams Williams and Alpine for 2025, and he now might be regretting opting for the former. "It's obvious to me that the Alpine is impressive in the corners," he said.
"I don't know if you have access to the GPS data, but it shows that they were as quick around turns 6 and 11 in Bahrain as the McLaren," he revealed.
"Pierre had an outstanding qualifying lap, and yet they are complaining about the lack of three tenths because of the engine," Sainz noted. "If they had a Mercedes or Ferrari engine in that car, they would have qualified on the front row," he concluded.
