Max Verstappen is the most talented driver on the grid today. At just 27 years old, Verstappen has won 3 Championships and has broken several records, many of which were accomplished during the 2023 season. But now, reports have suggested that Max could be heading towards Aston Martin to join Adrian Newey. These rumours have not unexpectedly escalated since Helmut Marko’s words to the media ahead of the Azerbaijan GP.
In the past few months, Aston Martin has been making some moves to improve their overall team. They recently signed both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll on Multi-year contracts. They brought in Technical Genius, Enrico Cardile from Ferrari, and they have signed Adrian Newey as a Managing Technical Partner. With these additions, Aston Martin has the most appeal among the F1 Teams.
Helmut Marko suggests that Max Verstappen could be jumping ship
Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen share a very close bond with each other. Max has made it very clear that if Marko were to leave the team at any given point, he would do so as well. Given that the 2 are very close to each other, Helmut usually has a bit more insight on how Verstappen thinks. This is why what he said before the Azerbaijan GP has fueled the Aston Martin rumours.
“Max drives where he can win,” Helmut Marko said.
“Aston Martin has the most modern factory, the wind tunnel will be operational next year and Honda engines will be added to that. Everything fits. And if you look at history, it is clear – wherever Newey has gone, there has been an upward trend. I don’t know why it should be any different at Aston Martin.”
Helmut Marko himself knows that Max wants to do nothing but win races. As it stands, it seems as though Aston Martin will be the strongest team in 2026. If this is the case, that is where Max would want to be.
⚠️ | Lawrence Stroll reportedly has his sights set on an Aston Martin swoop for Max Verstappen.
Talks to make this happen are reportedly already in progress.
Italian publication Autosprint which correctly called Newey to Aston Martin claims Stroll is now ‘aiming for’… pic.twitter.com/df34CU7MLh
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) September 11, 2024
However, Helmut has warned that Newey will take time to settle into the new Aston Martin base in Silverstone.
“Adrian Newey cannot start until March 1, 2025, which is already relatively late,” he said. “The whole team at Aston Martin certainly needs to get used to each other first.”
Adrian Newey will only be allowed to leave Red Bull after February 28th. Until then, he will not join Aston Martin to work on the car. While Newey will not be able to give inputs for Aston Martin’s 2025 challenger, he should be able to do so for the 2026 challenger.
When does Max Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull expire?
After Max won the 2021 Formula 1 Championship, he signed a contract to remain with Red Bull until the 2028 season. However, the team’s recent performances may be causing him to have second thoughts.
When the 2024 season first started, it seemed as though Max and Red Bull would win the Championships again. However, ever since the Miami Grand Prix, the Austrian team has been on a downward trajectory.
The last race that was won by Verstappen was the Spanish Grand Prix which was 7 races ago. Since then, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari have been winning all the races.
“I knew it was coming!” 🎙️
Max Verstappen on Adrian Newey’s Aston Martin move ➡️🟢 pic.twitter.com/Dfw9H1jvNK
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 12, 2024
Although it is not confirmed, Max Verstappen could have an exit option after the 2025 season of his contract. If the team does not bounce back this season, Max could be headed to Aston Martin.
When the new Technical Regulations kick in from the 2026 season, Red Bull will be partnering with Ford for their power unit needs. This does not seem like a very promising partnership as Ford has basically no experience in designing power units for modern Formula 1 cars.
Aston Martin on the other hand could be having a strong power unit with the Honda in the back of a Newey-designed F1 car. Hence, Max could be looking at Aston Martin for a fresh start in 2026.
Do you think Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull to join Aston Martin in 2026? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
