Max Verstappen advised to ‘wait out’ on Aston Martin’s F1 offer
A former F1 team boss has told Max Verstappen to hold fire on a potential switch to Aston Martin.
Max Verstappen has been urged to “wait out” on Aston Martin’s reported £1 billion offer until after the 2026 F1 season.
The Daily Mail recently published the rumour that Aston Martin have been approaching sponsors with the intention of launching an astronomical £1 billion bid to try and poach Verstappen from Red Bull.
Aston Martin have denied the story but along with Mercedes are believed to hold an interest in signing Verstappen, who is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028.
The Silverstone-based outfit have laid out their bold ambitions to compete for world championship in the coming years and are looking to capitalise on a regulation overhaul in 2026 to make strides towards the front of the F1 grid.
Aston Martin have built a state-of-the-art campus featuring a new wind tunnel, while the team have also strengthened their technical department by securing the services of Enrico Cardile and, most importantly, Adrian Newey.
The capture of Newey - regarded as F1’s greatest ever car designer - from Red Bull is seen as a major pull factor in Aston Martin’s rumoured attempts to try and convince four-time world champion Verstappen to sign.
But former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Verstappen would be better off staying put at Red Bull until the pecking order under F1’s new rules has been established.
“Just wait [out] 26,” Steiner told GPBlog.
“I don’t know Max’s contract, what is in there, how he can get out, but I assume that he’s got the performance clause for the team there.
“If the team is not good, he can leave after 26′ because that’s the key. If the car is good in 26, it would be good for another three or four years.
“If you start on a new regulation, the new concept, the car, it takes you quite a while to get out of it.”
£1 billion offer branded ‘fictional’
While Steiner acknowledged Aston Martin have the money to lure Verstappen, he questioned the accuracy of the reported £1 billion offer.
“The billion? It’s a little bit putting it high because, that would set the record, which will never be broken again,” he said.
“That’s a bit fictional, but I’m sure Aston Martin will pay a good amount of money for him.
“It’s like maybe 2027, but again, there is no guarantee for Max that Aston Martin will be good.”
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