World champion Max Verstappen has said a switch to Aston Martin could be an option “for the future” after team principal Mike Krack said they were always open to the Dutchman joining them.
A switch to the Lawrence Stroll-owned team would see Verstappen reunite with British design genius Adrian Newey, who joined Aston in a deal that will see him earn around £20 million a year.
The 65-year-old Newey, who is regarded as the greatest Formula One technical mastermind of his generation, spent nearly two decades at Verstappen’s Red Bull outfit.
The Dutch driver, who is under contract at Red Bull until 2028, has clinched the last three world championships in a Newey-designed car.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Krack was open to the possibility of a move for Verstappen and the latter did not dismiss the idea of linking up with Newey again.
“That is something maybe for the future that I think about, but not now,” Verstappen said.
“It [Newey’s departure] is fine, Adrian and I have a very good understanding. I sent him a message after the news came out so I am happy for him.
“I always said I would have loved him to stay but you cannot overturn these things. I am just excited for people seeking new challenges.
“I know Lawrence [Stroll] is pushing flat out to make it a success at Aston Martin.”
Krack believes that the arrival of Newey, who has won world championships at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, is a signal of intent from owner Stroll and will make the team an attractive proposition.
“The door for Max Verstappen is always open I think, for everything,” Krack said. “We will be more attractive for every area just for that signing, due to the increased credibility. It is proof that this project can achieve its targets.”
Newey will team up with Stroll’s 25-year-old son, Lance, and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43, who is under contract until the end of 2026.
Alonso will turn 45 during the 2026 season – the first in which Newey will have had a full input into the car design.
But Krack believes Alonso will be invigorated by the chance to work with Newey and hinted he could remain at the Silverstone-based team beyond his current deal.
“He may want to stay longer now. We have not had these conversations but it is clear Fernando has a long future in this team,” Krack added.
“You can see the huge respect that these two people have for each other and I think that Adrian has always wanted to work with someone like Fernando and vice versa.”
Newey was widely linked with a move to Ferrari, where he would have teamed up with incoming seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Asked if he was disappointed that Newey would not be joining the Scuderia, Hamilton said: “Honestly, no. While I have said before that it would be an honour to work with Adrian, I have been part of two championship-winning teams that didn’t have Adrian.
“Any team would have been happy to have him. At the end of the day he had to do what is right for him.
“It doesn’t change my goal or my focus for my next move. I still believe 100 per cent that there is lots we can do.”
Meanwhile, McLaren are poised to introduce team orders to support Lando Norris's bid to beat Verstappen to the drivers' world title in this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said the team were abandoning a policy of non-interference. “The overall concept is we are incredibly determined to win, but we want to win in the right way,” Stella said. “We [will] bias our support to Lando, but we want to do it without too much compromise on our principles.
“Our principles are that the team interest always comes first. Sportsmanship for us is important in the overall way we go racing. And then we want to be fair to both drivers.”
Briton Norris is 62 points behind three-time champion Verstappen with eight Grand Prix races left this year, plus three sprint races but insisted he was not expecting Piastri to gift him race wins despite McLaren's decision
“He's still fighting for his own racing. He's still going out and doing his stuff. And it could be that there's no time this year that he needs to help me,” said Norris. “It's more that I've got Oscar's help when needs be. If he's fought for a win and he's deserving of a win, then he deserves to win.”
