Adrian Newey getting in the ear of Max Verstappen to promise him his Aston Martin presence “for the next 10 years” and success could be what tempts him to join, not the money.
That is the theory put forward by F1 analyst Peter Windsor, following a report in the Daily Mail that Aston Martin are working on a deal for the four-time World Champion Verstappen worth $1 billion in a bid to lure him away from Red Bull.
Could Newey be the key for Max Verstappen to Aston Martin move?
Aston Martin “categorically denied” this report, but regardless, Windsor, while speaking on Cameron CC’s YouTube channel, confirmed “I wouldn’t” take such a financial offer anyway if he were in Verstappen’s shoes.
He added: “I’d like to think Max is mature enough now and he’s got enough money now to say it’s not about money, it’s about enjoying my life and getting on with my racing and that’s when I drive at my best and I’m not driving just for the money.”
However, with Aston Martin joining Mercedes as the teams most recently linked with moves to snatch Verstappen from Red Bull – where he is contracted until 2028 – Windsor can still envisage a scenario where Verstappen does say yes to joining Aston Martin.
But, F1 design guru Adrian Newey would be needed to trigger that Verstappen decision.
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After playing a pivotal role in Verstappen’s four straight World Championship successes at Red Bull, Newey has departed to take up the newly-created managing technical partner position at Aston Martin, his key focus – upon starting work in early March – being the chassis and power unit regulatory reset coming in F1 2026.
And if Newey can convince Verstappen that their success can be replicated at Aston Martin, and that he is committed long-term, then this could be what draws Verstappen to Aston Martin, Windsor theorises.
“If Adrian Newey was saying to Max, ‘Look, Max, I love it here, I’m going to be in it for the next 10 years, I can tell you now, we’re going to win a lot of races. If you want to join, we’re going to win a lot of races, a lot of championships, let’s go.’ If I was Max, I’d probably do it,” said Windsor.
“But the first question was would I do it for the billion dollars to work for Lawrence Stroll, two different things.
“And also don’t forget, if you took the first one, the one billion under Lawrence Stroll, there’s no guarantee Adrian’s going to be there for the next decade, he’s not getting any younger.
“He’d do it for the Jonathan Wheatley [former Red Bull sporting director and future Sauber/Audi F1 team principal], Adrian Newey reason, not that Jonathan’s there of course, not the money, that’s the point I’m making.”
However, while Windsor does not believe the financial element should be what sways Verstappen if an Aston Martin switch were to be on the cards, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner thinks Verstappen should take the money and run to the Silverstone-based team.
“A billion is a big number. Even if Max finishes last, he should go for a billion,” Steiner told GPblog.
“Some of them (the teams) cannot afford him, obviously. Aston Martin can afford him.”
