Red Bull target ‘very impressive’ Zak Brown-backed star for Yuki Tsunoda’s 2026 seat

According to a report from American outlet IndyStar, Red Bull are exploring the idea of bringing in Palou for the 2026 season.

He grew up racing alongside George Russell in karting and later competed in GP3 and briefly in Formula 2 before moving to IndyCar.

After making his debut with Dale Coyne Racing, Palou has gone on to dominate IndyCar, clinching his fourth championship in five years with Chip Ganassi Racing.

That success has reportedly prompted Red Bull to consider Palou for their 2026 F1 line-up, potentially alongside Verstappen.

However, both the driver and his management team have denied any current discussions with Red Bull. Chip Ganassi Racing also expects him to remain with them beyond this season.

This is not the first time Red Bull have shown interest in Palou. It is understood that his latest contract includes a buy-out clause specifically for F1 opportunities.

Speaking to IndyStar, he discussed his future:

“There’s not many seats I’d consider changing [for].

“I don’t really know [if] there are many seats I’d want to be in compared to the No.10 car right now. It’s pretty tough to beat.

“The fun part of being a racecar driver isn’t being famous. I like winning races.”

Zak Brown’s earlier comments on Alex Palou during his time at McLaren

Palou has been connected to Formula 1 before, having previously spent time as McLaren’s reserve driver.

Speaking to Autosport in 2023, Zak Brown has praised him: “Alex has been very impressive in IndyCar. The competition there is fierce. So, for him to win as many races as he has in the fashion in which he’s done, it is very impressive.

“He’s our reserve driver and will be joining us at the end of the year for the remaining Formula 1 races, so he’s definitely a strong, strong talent.”

But Palou’s time with McLaren did not finish smoothly. There were disputes about his contract details, and he eventually tried to withdraw from the agreement.

The report from IndyStar also points out that Red Bull might need to cover a fee or offer a significant settlement to secure Palou’s release from McLaren or support him if legal issues arise.

The team previously paid out Sergio Perez’s contract when they chose to end it early, showing they are willing to spend if they believe it strengthens their line-up.

This move would likely come down more to whether Red Bull can convince Palou that joining Verstappen is worth leaving his dominant position in IndyCar.