According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the British team’s offer for Max would be unprecedented.
Aston Martin has set its sights on Max Verstappen and could be ready to offer him the most lucrative contract in Formula 1 history. The British team, currently engaged in an aggressive recruitment campaign to contend for the title in 2026, has targeted the four-time world champion who, according to rumors, has decided to leave Red Bull at the end of this season.
Despite official denials, Aston Martin is reportedly working behind the scenes on what could be the deal of the century — and the numbers are staggering: €264 million over three years for Verstappen, which would make him by far the highest-paid driver in the sport, with no room for debate. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the move would be financed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, which is looking to take over ownership of the team, as Lawrence Stroll has signaled multiple times that he’s open to a sale.
The Saudi sovereign fund is no stranger to high-profile entries into the sports world. Two years ago, it brought Cristiano Ronaldo to Al Nassr with a €200 million-per-year contract that still has two seasons remaining. But that’s not all — Mohammed bin Salman, the man behind the fund, has also revitalized his LIV Golf league by signing world number one Jon Rahm with a staggering €500 million deal.
It’s also worth noting that the Saudi fund already owns 20% of Aston Martin and sponsors the British team through the oil giant Aramco. Verstappen’s potential move would be the crown jewel of a recruitment campaign that began two years ago and continued last year with the signing of Adrian Newey, one of the most decorated engineers in F1 history.
While there’s still a big gap between assembling a dream team and delivering results on the track, Aston Martin is throwing all its financial, technical, and strategic weight behind the upcoming season. And Max Verstappen could be the missing piece that ties their ambitious off-track moves to on-track success.
