VERSTAPPEN: “I MIGHT CONSIDER DRIVING AN ASTON MARTIN DESIGNED BY NEWEY”

Could Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen reunite with designer Adrian Newey in the future?

Max Verstappen did not dismiss the possibility of reuniting with Adrian Newey at Aston Martin in the future. The design genius Newey was behind the Red Bull cars that earned Verstappen three driver championships, but earlier this year, his departure was confirmed, and now he has signed with Aston Martin.
Newey, who will take on the role of Technical Managing Partner starting next year, signed a deal reportedly worth £30 million annually. The 65-year-old has been tasked with taking Aston Martin from mid-tier to championship contenders.
When Newey’s departure was first confirmed and now with his next destination announced, Verstappen was asked if he could see himself driving a car designed by Newey again someday.
Asked about Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack saying the door would always be open for Verstappen to join the team, he responded: “I have other concerns that I’m very focused on right now, and I’m working on those.”
“This might be something I think about for the future, but not now.”
“Adrian and I have a very good understanding. After the news broke, I sent him a message, of course, I knew this would happen. So I’m happy for him.”
“Of course, it’s a new challenge. I would have always wanted him to stay. But at some point, you can’t stop these things. So when people look for new challenges, you get excited for them.”
“I know Lawrence Stroll is doing everything he can to succeed with Aston Martin, so it’s understandable that he would want Adrian by his side,” he added.
The allure of working with a team led by Newey has been enough to attract some of the best drivers in Formula 1 over the last thirty years.
Verstappen believes that this could still be relevant when Newey makes his first impact in 2026 under the new regulations.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I’ve worked with him, so I know what he’s like and what he can do. I think everyone in their career would want to work with Adrian. So potentially, yes,” he added.
The announcement of Newey’s move was just one of the topics discussed as drivers arrived in Baku for this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with McLaren’s use of team orders also making headlines.
However, Verstappen made it clear that alongside offering his thoughts on Newey’s new role, he was focused on getting his championship bid back on track.
Verstappen, who finished sixth in the recent Italian Grand Prix, once again voiced his frustration over his Red Bull’s lack of performance, claiming that their recent form had made retaining both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships an “unrealistic” ambition.
In Baku, Verstappen largely brushed off questions from reporters about recent developments.

Responding to a series of questions, including whether the rise of Mercedes and Ferrari to challenge Norris and McLaren for points could aid his championship campaign, he said, “I have other concerns,” and “I need to do better.”
Asked for his thoughts on McLaren potentially changing their “Papaya Rules” to support Norris in closing the 62-point gap to Verstappen, he instead lamented his “own issues.”
“We still have a lot of work to do, but I think Monza was, in a way, positive for learning more about the car,” he said, continuing to discuss the recent issues plaguing Red Bull.
“It takes time to improve the car and understand our weaknesses, which I believe we’ve done. Now, it’s about trying to find solutions for that. Once you understand your problems, it’s not something that will be fixed in one or two weeks.”
“But I hope that from here on, we can only look forward and avoid what happened in Monza,” he added.