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Former FIA steward Johnny Herbert feels Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull for Aston Martin would be perfect timing for the driver. The Dutch sensation is at a crossroads in his career where the future seems uncertain.
On one side, he is part of Red Bull, a team that has been with him even before he started racing in F1. The Austrian brand has been pivotal to the incredible success in his career. At the same time, there are concerns over the short-term future of Red Bull in terms of competitiveness.
There are two leading contenders with whom Verstappen's name has been linked, with Mercedes and Aston Martin looking like viable candidates for the 2026 F1 regulations. Herbert feels the Dutch driver should go to the Silverstone-based squad and reunite with Adrian Newey. He told CoinCasino:
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"If Aston Martin gets their development right for next year, you could see them become the next team to beat. But, they have a big hill to climb. If you have Verstappen and Adrian Newey at the top of their games, then it will be hard to beat them, but that isn’t a guarantee."
He added:
"Verstappen will be thinking, where is the best place for him, and when can he leave. Helmut Marko alluded to a get-out clause which could come into effect this season, it would be perfect timing for Verstappen. I hope he chooses the right team so he can keep battling at the very top for the foreseeable future. We want him and the likes of Oscar Piastri to really fight for the title, which can only be good for the sport."
After a scintillating 2023 F1 season where the team won all but one race, the 2024 season was a marked downgrade. Verstappen was still able to seal the title for himself, but the team lost the constructors' championship. The 2025 F1 season has started on a worse note. The car is just not good enough to fight for wins at every race weekend, and McLaren has stolen the march.
To make things worse, Red Bull is building its own power unit for the 2026 F1 regulations, and with it being the first one from the operation, there are rumors that the team is struggling already. In this case, Verstappen faces a choice where he either sticks with the team or makes a move to a squad that he thinks would be a contender next season.
Max Verstappen still by far the best driver in F1
Aston Martin has been putting the pieces together for a few years, and on paper, a formidable squad has been created. The latest entrant to the squad has been Adrian Newey.
Johnny Herbert believes the Silverstone team should spend whatever it takes to bring Max Verstappen on board, since he remains the finest driver in the sport. He said:
"It's very interesting if the Saudis get involved with Aston Martin. If you had the money, you would pay all you have to get Max Verstappen on your team. He's still, by far, the best driver on the grid at the moment. He's still out-qualifying the McLaren, which is just a little faster."
Whether the Dutch driver moves to a different team or sticks with Red Bull is an interesting question in itself, but there would certainly be a level of intrigue around what Max Verstappen would decide for 2026.
