Max Verstappen fired warning shot by F1 legend as Billion dollar Aston Martin contract rumors surface

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen was recently rumored to have been offered a billion dollar contract by Aston Martin to join its driver lineup. In response to these claims, former F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve named only two teams other than Red Bull where Verstappen could win championships, and that did not include Aston Martin.

The rumors began when The Daily Mail reported earlier this week that the Silverstone-based team's potential sponsors have been approached to invest in the team with the possibility of the four-time drivers' champion signing on. Aston Martin has rejected these claims, especially given that its drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, have contracts till next year.

Villeneuve dismissed the idea on different grounds, saying that Verstappen wouldn't go to a team where there isn't potential to secure another title.

“Max Verstappen would be more like, what’s my next step? You win with Ferrari, you win with Mercedes not with Aston Martin. Like Lewis Hamilton, he wants to win,” he said [via PlanetF1].

The 1997 world champion also believes that Aston Martin isn't a championship-winning team yet despite its recent acquisition of Red Bull's title-winning car designer, Adrian Newey. He also mentioned that the fans may have led themselves to have too much hope too quickly, saying:

"Aston Martin themselves know it will all take time. "

"I’m talking about the fans, not the team. The fans put two and two together and they make six. The expectation is they have signed Adrian Newey and they can now start winning."

"It takes time to build the people around you. It takes time to design a car. It takes time to do everything. So, 2025 is not the year."

Max Verstappen himself isn't sure he would want to leave the Austrian team. In an interview last year, the driver said:

"It would be very beautiful if you just could stay with one team and race there forever. I would like to believe [that could be with Red Bull]. That is the target," [via The Guardian].

The Dutchman just completed his ninth season with Red Bull Racing, winning his fourth straight drivers' title with the team.

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Max Verstappen's team responds to billion-dollar Aston Martin rumor

Max Verstappen leads Fernando Alonso on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil - Source: Getty

With the report circulating that Max Verstappen has been offered 1.2-billion-dollars (1-billion-pounds) to move to Aston Martin, his entourage was asked to comment on the matter.

In a succinct response recieved by GPBlog, Verstappen's team said:

"That's nice"

Based on an agreement signed by Verstappen in 2022, he is contracted to stay on with Red Bull Racing till 2028. This year, he will be joined by a new teammate in the form of Liam Lawson, who will replace Sergio Perez.