Adrian Newey believes Max Verstappen`s decisions about his Formula 1 future will always be driven by “who he thinks will produce the fastest car,” amidst rumors that Aston Martin might be targeting the four-time Red Bull world champion.
Legendary F1 designer Newey made his debut appearance at a Grand Prix for Aston Martin in Monaco. This came nearly three months after he transitioned from Red Bull to join the team as their new managing technical partner.
In an interview with Martin Brundle from Sky Sports F1, Newey was asked about the persistent paddock chatter suggesting Verstappen could eventually follow Newey – and engine supplier Honda, which moves from Red Bull to Aston Martin for the new F1 regulations starting next year – to the ambitious team based in Silverstone.
Newey replied, “I mean, Max is obviously a formidable competitor, but he`s also a very straightforward individual – and I mean that as an absolute compliment.”
He added, “He simply wants a fast car that allows him to demonstrate his abilities.”
“So I suspect Max will always pursue whoever he believes can build the fastest car.”
Verstappen`s current contract with Red Bull extends to the end of the 2028 season. However, it is understood that the agreement contains performance clauses that could potentially permit an earlier departure under specific circumstances.
Aston Martin already has its current driver lineup, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, under contract for the 2026 season.
`Lance Gets an Unfairly Bad Rap`
When asked about the prospect of working with the 43-year-old two-time champion Fernando Alonso for the first time, Newey commented, “Fernando, wow – what a legend.”
He continued, “Looking at my recent career, not going back too far, my two main regrets have been not having the opportunity to work with either Lewis [Hamilton] or Fernando.”
He added, “So now I have the chance to rectify one of those.”
Regarding Lance Stroll, the son of Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll, Newey stated, “I think Lance receives unfairly negative criticism.”
“If you actually look at Lance`s performance compared to his teammates – whether it was Checo [Perez], Sebastian [Vettel], or now Fernando – he`s certainly not slow at all.”
