Red Bull boss reveals BRUTAL reason for rejecting F1 star

Red Bull boss Helmut Marko has revealed the brutal reason for rejecting an F1 champion as Max Verstappen’s team-mate.

Speculation about who will partner Max Verstappen in 2025 ran wild when Carlos Sainz became available on the driver market, after being replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.

READ MORE: Red Bull OFFICIALLY sign Verstappen team-mate for next two seasons

Current Red Bull driver Sergio Perez was set to be out of contract going into 2025, and a renewal looked unlikely after a string of bad performances last season – but he was officially given a two-year extension this week.

Whilst Perez's form has improved this season, he has failed to make the podium since the Chinese Grand Prix, and finished eighth behind both Mercedes in Imola.

Who would replace Perez at Red Bull?

The team have already eliminated one potential driver from their deliberations, with Fernando Alonso signing a multi-year deal with Aston Martin.

When asked if they considered signing the two-time world champion, Red Bull boss Helmut Marko revealed they had, but admitted it would have been ‘difficult’ for him to race alongside Max Verstappen.

“Well, there have been conversations,” Marko said via Formel1.de’s YouTube channel.

“But as I mentioned before, a harmonious work environment is very important to Max and I think that probably would not have been the case with Alonso.

“I think it would be very difficult for a team. Alonso would be the oldest world champion on the team, Max the youngest, and they are generations apart.

READ MORE: How Ocon's Alpine exit could impact ANDRETTI F1 entry

“I don’t think Alonso does sim racing or gets into a simulator on a plane right after a grand prix. So they are two opposite personalities, both very good drivers and also personalities.

"But when it comes to seeing who is faster neither of them are very modest. And it would be very, very difficult for a team to take that in a positive direction.”

READ MORE: RANKED: Potential Esteban Ocon replacements at Alpine

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