Max Verstappen is seeing greater interest from the Aston Martin F1 team over a future tie-up, according to a report.
The Dutchman indicated several times last year that he wants to stay at Red Bull, a team he has won four consecutive F1 titles with.
However, with new technical regulations being introduced in 2026 which will see the aerodynamic and chassis areas receive a revamp, it is far from certain that Red Bull will be a championship contender next season.
According to the Daily Mail, Aston Martin is putting together a plan to poach the Dutchman from Red Bull.
The team is owned by Lawrence Stroll, who has invested heavily in the team in recent years, establishing a brand-new state-of-the-art factory at Silverstone.
With Verstappen being in such strong form in recent times, it is no surprise that other teams would showcase interest in the 27-year-old.
The report claims Stroll would generate £1 billion from new investors and that Jefferson Slack, a close ally of Stroll, has been pitching to the potential parties that Verstappen will be joining in the future.
Aston Martin pinched renowned car designer Adrian Newey from Red Bull last year, with the Briton set to start his new role on March 3.
It has also brought in Enrico Cardile and has appointed Andy Cowell as team principal as it looks to a fresh era in 2026 with Honda engines.
Should it manage to entice Verstappen from Red Bull, the reported figure could see Verstappen set to earn up to £200m per season on a five-year contract, according to the report.
RacingNews365 has reached out to Aston Martin for comment, who have categorically denied the claim. It highlighted that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are contracted to the team for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look into the six full-time F1 rookies featuring on this year's grid. Who will do the best is discussed, as is who could face an early exit.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
Most read
In this article
Join the conversation!