Who could replace Verstappen in Jeddah should it be needed?

Who could replace Verstappen?

Perhaps an odd question because the driver himself said he had recovered, but just because he is no longer ill does not mean he is 100% fit. A good flu can do a lot to your body. Suppose it would get to the point where Verstappen is thus conditionally unable to drive, someone else will have to take over.

Daniel Ricciardo

The name most people might want to hear is Daniel Ricciardo, former Formula 1 driver and teammate of Verstappen, and darling of the grid because of his humour and charms. The Australian has also achieved his greatest successes with the Austrian racing stable, with several victories to his name. Someone with so much experience and knowledge of the team is easily the safest choice for Red Bull as a replacement for Verstappen.

Liam Lawson

But Ricciardo is Red Bull's 'third' driver, mostly involved in the simulator and PR activities. Also, the Australian does not currently seem to be present in Jeddah, but in Australia. The team's official reserve drivers are Liam Lawson, Zane Maloney and Dennis Hauger. The former has by far the most experience due to his Formula 2 career and thus holds a super licence that allows him to get into an F1 car.

Tsunoda or De Vries?

Another potential option Red Bull has is for them to put AlphaTauri drivers Yuki Tsunoda or Nyck de Vries in the RB19. Incidentally, the Japanese driver is more likely to be chosen for this than the Friesian: he has had a longer career in the king class than the Formula E world champion, with de Vries only sitting behind the wheel of the AlphaTauri for just two Grand Prix's.

Of course, most of this is now speculation, so it remains to be seen whether Verstappen will have to forgo one or more driving days in Jeddah. In any case, the Dutchman is not known for giving in easily.