According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Saudi Arabia is ready to offer 300 million dollars in Max Verstappen to pilot at Aston Martin from next season. The British stable is sponsored and partly funded by the Saudi kingdom.
The rumor swells. Max Verstappen may already have decided to leave Red bull at the end of the year. “Honestly, many people speak, except me,” he swept away at a press conference. But it may not be a coincidence that speculation is going well at the time of the Saudi Grand Prix of Arabia, fifth round of the Formula 1 season. According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, the kingdom offers a golden bridge at the quadruple Dutch world champion of 27 years to join … Aston Martin.
A shareholder up to 20% of the British stable, of which the title sponsor is the oil company Saudi Aramco, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund would be ready to grant $ 300 million over three years in Max Verstapun. Or around 264 million euros. It would be an XXL contract compared to the one who currently links it to Red Bull. Based on the latest estimates, it would drop from 57 to 88 million euros per season.
The highest paid pilot of the paddock would then integrate the very closed circle of the best paid athletes in the world alone on the basis of income. For comparison, Kylian Mbappé’s salary in Real Madrid would be significantly greater than 30 million euros gross per year. Karim Benzema, in Al-Ittihad in the Saudi football championship, would receive around 100 million euros a year.
-Aston Martin at the forefront in 2026?
If the offer has a financial meaning, especially since the stable can also count on its wealthy Canadian owner Lawrence Stroll to achieve its objectives, it may be less obvious on the sport. With only 10 points scored by Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso on the first four races of the season, Aston Martin does not shine. This is almost a constant since the return of the British manufacturer, with the exception of the 2023 season.
But in 2026, the year of the new F1 regulatory and technical revolution, Aston Martin could settle in the foreground. With reasons to believe it, given the already effective arrival of the English star engineer Adrian Newey, the man involved in 12 pilot titles and 14 coronations. It is using his skills in aerodynamics and design of single -seaters that Max Verstappen won his four world champion titles with Red Bull.
The Dutchman would also find Honda, who will equip Aston Martin in engines from next year. For the time being, there is no guarantee regarding the performance of the Japanese firm. Especially since the corridor noises report a certain panic in the world of F1 on the mastery of the technology of 2026, which gives pride of place to electric propulsion. But there too, it is with Honda power units (rebadgus red bull powertrains) that Max Verstappen built his record.
Officially, Max Verstappen is linked to Red Bull until the end of 2028. But performance clauses would allow this commitment to be broken in an early manner. However, the 2025 season may well be painful for the Austrian stable, lagging behind compared to McLaren and Mercedes, in addition to always being prey to internal conflicts.
