Verstappen denies $1bn Aston Martin offer
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen dismisses $1 billion Aston Martin offer rumors.
Reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has unequivocally denied reports of a staggering $1 billion offer from Aston Martin to switch allegiances from Red Bull Racing.
The Dutch driver, who has a contract with Red Bull until 2028, stated that the first he heard of the purported deal was through the media.
In a report published by the Daily Mail in January, it was suggested that Aston Martin, owned by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, was prepared to offer Verstappen a deal to secure his services for the remainder of his racing career.
When questioned about his potential move to Aston Martin, Verstappen clarified that his discussions with the company were solely related to a supply deal for his newly established GT3 sports car team.
"It's a lot of money," Verstappen commented on the rumor. "Honestly, when I read that, it was the first time I saw something like that. The only contact that I had with them was about GT3 for this year. That's it. There's not much to say really because there isn't anything."
Aston Martin made headlines last year by hiring top Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey from Red Bull. Newey, who played a key role in Verstappen’s first three title wins, is set to officially join Aston Martin in March.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner expressed confidence that Verstappen would remain with Red Bull as long as the team continues to be competitive.
"I know you guys [the media] have all got column inches to fill over the winter period, but a billion-dollar driver [deal] -- it would be an eye-wateringly large amount of money," Horner said. "But I think Max is very happy in the environment he's in. He's grown up in the team and has a great relationship with the team, the engineers, and the technicians, and everyone he works with. It's down to us to provide a competitive car and continue to give him the platform to achieve the results he has over the last few years."
Aston Martin’s new team principal Andy Cowell was also asked about the possibility of Verstappen joining his team. Cowell chose not to address the question directly.
"We're really lucky -- we've got Lance [Stroll] and Fernando [Alonso]. Great experience, and they're on long-term contracts," Cowell said. "The key work for this team is to create a fast race car. We didn't create that for them last year, and they get a lot of media pressure because of that. The pressure should come in our direction. We've got the job to create a fast race car, and I am absolutely certain they will both deliver."
The speculation surrounding Verstappen’s future highlights the intense interest and drama that F1 off-seasons bring, but for now, Verstappen's commitment to Red Bull remains clear and unwavering.
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