Since Daniel Ricciardo's departure in 2018, Red Bull has struggled to find a second driver who can consistently support Max Verstappen throughout the season.

Given that the Dutchman is the team's main priority, the driver selected for the second seat needs to be someone who is prepared to accept a supporting role rather than compete directly with Verstappen.

Sergio Perez, who joined Red Bull in 2021, initially appeared to be an ideal fit for that position, particularly after he helped Verstappen clinch his first championship by holding off Lewis Hamilton in the decisive race in Abu Dhabi.

However, last year, there started to be signs of a decrease in performance but thanks to Red Bull’s dominant car, he still finished second in the overall standings.

The turning point came after the Chinese Grand Prix in April, which remains the last race where Perez stood on the podium. Since then, he has had difficulty even securing high-point finishes, which hasn’t helped Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship at all.

Consequently, despite receiving a contract extension through 2026 in June, Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko has indicated that there are no guarantees the Mexican driver will remain with the team next season.

In light of this, a rumour has surfaced that Mark Webber, who raced for Red Bull from 2007 to 2013 and is now Oscar Piastri’s manager, is interested in securing the seat for the Australian driver.

“Let’s put it this way: Mark Webber is intensively seeking conversation,” Marko told F1-Insider regarding the rumour.

Even though he hasn’t finished two full seasons in Formula 1 yet, Piastri has already won two Grand Prix races and is seen as one of the most exciting young drivers in the championship and by some even as a future champion.

The Australian talent is contracted with McLaren until the end of 2026, but F1 has seen many early moves like this in the past.