A well-respected F1 journalist has revealed what he knows about Max Verstappen’s future after the Red Bull driver was linked with a shock move to another team.
Verstappen, 27, is aiming for his fifth consecutive F1 Drivers’ title this season and currently sits third in the standings – behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri - ahead of Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.
However, reports emerged earlier this week claiming that the Red Bull driver had been offered a lucrative contract to leave the manufacturer.
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On Friday morning (April 18), Italian news outlet La Gazzetta reported that Verstappen is determined to leave Red Bull and could sign for Aston Martin in a deal which has been labelled as the richest contract in F1 history.
The offer is thought to be around the $300m mark, spread across a three-year period – it has also been claimed that the potential deal could be backed by Saudi Arabia.
When approached by SPORTbible for comment, Aston Martin issued the following statement: "It’s normal for the media to speculate on the driver market, but we have a fantastic driver line-up that we are committed to and who are under contract for 2026 and beyond.
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"Our focus is on delivering for Lance and Fernando by giving them a more consistent and competitive car. When we do, they are both capable of delivering great results."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also addressed the media after FP1 on Friday, he said: “Noise is exactly the right word to describe it. There’s been a lot of noise outside of the team.
“Max reaffirmed his commitment yesterday. We are focused on making the car go faster; that’s where our focus is. Max is a part of that, he’s a committed member of the team. The rest is all speculation.”
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It has also been suggested that Verstappen could take a year out in 2026, before returning to the track in 2027. This would allow him to assess the F1 landscape in the meantime before then picking a team for 2027 , according to reports by Andrew Benson, who has spoken to a member of his team, on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast.
“One of the most intriguing stories around Verstappen at the moment is that he could maybe take a sabbatical next year, just see how the rules go and then pick a team for 2027,” Benson said.
“That’s an idea that was mentioned to me without me even asking by someone quite close to Max Verstappen, so I wouldn’t rule that out as an idea either. I don’t know whether they’re just playing games of course, just to stir the pot a bit. But why not?”
Topics: Formula 1, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Motorsport
Luke Davies