Verstappen comments resurface after shock £1bn Aston Martin rumours

And resurfaced comments by the four-time World Champion have revealed his stance, having admitted last year that he would consider a move in the future.

A report by British newspaper the Mail on Thursday claimed that Aston Martin commercial and marketing boss Jefferson Slack has been trying to woo potential new sponsors by claiming that Verstappen will join the team in the near future.

The claims were firmly denied by the team, who issued a statement to PlanetF1.com reading: “An Aston Martin Aramco spokesperson categorically denied the story.”

Meanwhile, Verstappen’s camp reportedly responded to the report by commenting: “That’s nice.”

Current Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are understood by PlanetF1.com to be under contract for at least the next two years.

Despite being under contract until the F1 2028 season, Verstappen has been persistently linked with a move away from Red Bull over the last 12 months in light of the team’s declining performance on track.

Verstappen overcame a 10-race winless streak – his longest barren run since the 2020 season – to seal a fourth consecutive World Championship in F1 2024, seeing off the threat of McLaren driver Lando Norris.

Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, confirmed to media including PlanetF1.com last year that Verstappen’s contract contains a “performance element” potentially allowing him to walk away before 2028 if the team cannot provide a competitive car.

A report by the Times last autumn claimed that the so-called exit clause would give Verstappen the freedom to leave Red Bull if he is lower than third in the Drivers’ Championship after a “significant” portion of the F1 2025 season has been completed.

Mercedes are widely regarded as the frontrunners to sign Verstappen in the event of a Red Bull exit, with team boss Toto Wolff telling media including PlanetF1.com last year that he “would love to have” the reigning World Champion.

The Brackley-based team were linked with an ambitious move for Verstappen in 2024 before signing teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli as seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s successor.

Yet with the exact length of Antonelli’s contract unspecified, and team-mate George Russell’s current deal set to expire at the end of F1 2025, Mercedes are expected to renew their interest in Verstappen ahead of the major F1 2026 rule changes.

Mercedes’ preparations for F1’s new era are thought to advanced, having previously emerged as the sport’s dominant force following the introduction of the V6-hybrid engines in 2014.

However, Aston Martin could emerge as a potential alternative destination for Verstappen with the team having bold plans under the ownership of Lawrence Stroll.

The Silverstone-based team will enter a technical partnership with Honda, current engine suppliers to Red Bull, in time for F1 2026, with Aston Martin also signing F1 design legend Adrian Newey from Red Bull last year.

PlanetF1.com recently revealed that Newey is poised to start work with Aston Martin on Monday March 3, less than two weeks before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The signing of Newey sparked suggestions that Aston Martin could launch an ambitious bid for Verstappen, with former Red Bull driver and Dutch F1 pundit Robert Doornbos claiming the team “will do everything to sway him, sparing no expense.”

Doornbos went on to air his belief that Verstappen will still join Mercedes for F1 2026, with relations between the two parties remaining “strong.”

Newey was treated to a glitzy presentation by Aston Martin after his signing was announced last September, with the tech guru appointed to the role of managing technical partner as well as becoming a shareholder.

Speaking in Baku ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix just days later, Verstappen refused to a rule out a move to Aston Martin in the future when asked if he would consider following Newey.

He said: “I have other worries at the moment that I’m paying a lot of attention to, that I’m working on.

“So that is something maybe for the future that I think about, but not now.

“I have other worries at the moment that I am busy with and I try to fix and work on them with the team that I’m driving with – that’s where our focus goes.

“Adrian and I – we have a very good understanding. I sent him a message also after the news came out even though, of course, I knew that it was coming.

“I’m happy for him, it’s a new challenge.

“I always said I would have loved him to stay but, at some point you can’t overturn these things, so then you’re just excited for people seeking new challenges.

“I also know that Lawrence, of course, is pushing flat out to make it a success with Aston Martin, so it’s quite understandable that he wants to have Adrian on his side.”

Asked whether Newey’s presence would make a team more attractive to him, Verstappen added: “I don’t know. I’ve worked with him so I know how he is as a person and also what he can do.

“I think everyone would like to work with Adrian in their career, so potentially.”

Verstappen was again asked about a potential move to Aston Martin at the end of F1 2024, telling Viaplay: “No, I haven’t talked about that at all either, just nothing at all.

“At the moment I haven’t thought about that at all.”