Aston Martin ‘set to offer £226m for reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen’

Aston Martin are reportedly set to offer Max Verstappen £226m over three years in an attempt to persuade the Red Bull driver to switch teams next year.

Four-time F1 world champion Verstappen, who has a contract worth £50m-a-year at Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, is being heavily linked with Aston and Mercedes given Red Bull’s recent downturn in form and new regulations being enforced in 2026.

Aston have also recently recruited former Red Bull designer Adrian Newey, who is fully focused on next year’s car. Newey designed all four of Verstappen’s championship-winning cars at Red Bull.

Now, a report from Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) are looking to offer Verstappen, 27, an astonishing £75m-a-year deal to join the Silverstone-based team for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

PIF sponsors the Aston F1 team through oil company Aramco and is keen to take full ownership of the team from Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, the report claims. Stroll’s son, Lance, is one of the team’s two current drivers alongside two-time world champion Fernando Alonso. Both are under contract for 2026.

An Aston Martin spokesperson, meanwhile, said in a statement: “It’s normal for the media to speculate on driver market, but we have an amazing driver line-up that we are committed to and who are under contract for 2026 and beyond.

“Our focus is on delivering for our drivers by giving them a more consistent and competitive car. When we do, they are both capable of delivering great results.”

Speculation about Verstappen’s future was exacerbated last week when Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko admitted that the team have “great concern” over the Dutchman’s future.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Verstappen said, in Thursday’s press conference at the Saudi Arabian GP, when asked why Marko made those comments.

“I just keep working, trying to improve the car. Naturally, Bahrain was not a great weekend for us. I think we were all pretty disappointed with that.

“We keep trying to come up with new ideas to try on the car, the competition is tough, that’s how I go about my weeks - just trying to improve my situation.

Pressed further by Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft, Verstappen responded: “I just think focus on commentating, I’ll focus on driving… and then you don’t need to think about any other scenarios.”

Verstappen has raced within the Red Bull family since his F1 debut as a 17-year-old in 2015, winning his first race upon his promotion from Toro Rosso to the main team in 2016.

The Dutchman is looking to become the second man in F1 history, after Michael Schumacher, to win five consecutive world championships this year. He currently trails championship leader Lando Norris by eight points after four rounds.

Asked if he would like to partner Verstappen at Aston Martin, Alonso said: “Yes. But it is very unlikely to happen.”