Oliver Bearman linked to Red Bull as Ferrari secures Hamilton boost

Formula 1's driver market is heating up as Red Bull reportedly monitors Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman as a potential Max Verstappen replacement. At the same time, Ferrari is finding form after Charles Leclerc's Silverstone victory and overwhelming fan support for Lewis Hamilton's 2027 contract extension.

Why it matters:

The overlap between driver market moves and on-track results is defining the 2026 season. Red Bull's interest in Bearman underscores mounting uncertainty around Verstappen's future after a tough start, while Ferrari's recent surge hints at a genuine threat to Mercedes' early advantage.

The details:

• Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft reports Red Bull is "keeping very close tabs" on Bearman should Verstappen depart.
• RacingNews365 readers voted 97.6% in favor of Ferrari's decision to retain Hamilton through 2027.
• Hamilton stressed Ferrari must maximize every weekend to catch Mercedes in the title fight.
• McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained the team's decision to delay introducing Mercedes' reliability-improved power unit.
• Leclerc credited "intuition mixed with feeling" for the setup changes that delivered his long-awaited Silverstone win.
• Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché denied rumors that Verstappen is losing faith, insisting the Dutchman remains committed despite the RB22's struggles.

What's next:

Attention now turns to whether Ferrari can build on its Silverstone success and if Red Bull can stabilize its season to keep Verstappen in Milton Keynes.