18-podium F1 rival will be the biggest winner if Max Verstappen decides to join Aston Martin in 2026

Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull is uncertain heading into the new era of regulations in Formula 1 in 2026. The four-time champion has several suitors looking to snap up his signature.

Verstappen is contracted at Red Bull until 2028, but he has been linked with a move away since last season. The internal conflict between the team’s owners and a mass exodus of key staff – including Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley – prompted rumours that the Dutchman could also be off.

Verstappen has an exit clause that allows him to leave if Red Bull are not in the top three of the constructors’ championship. After four races in 2025, the team are third in the standings, but they are already 80 points behind McLaren.

Besides winning the Japanese Grand Prix, the defending champion has struggled to grasp the difficult nature of the RB21. The Milton Keynes outfit have a clear problem with the car, but opted to drop Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda before looking into the mechanical issues.

Verstappen is ‘extremely annoyed’ with Red Bull’s priorities – he disagreed with Lawson’s demotion and is calling for the team to bring upgrades to the car as soon as possible. There is some evident friction between the two parties, leading to further speculation surrounding the Dutchman’s future.

Mercedes and Aston Martin appear to be the top candidates to sign Verstappen if he decides to leave Red Bull. If he chooses the latter, there is a clear winner from the outcome.

George Russell will be the biggest winner if Max Verstappen joins Aston Martin

Amid the rumours surrounding Verstappen, there is uncertainty around George Russell and his future with Mercedes. The Brit is out of contract at the end of 2025, as is teammate Kimi Antonelli.

Toto Wolff has not shied away from expressing his interest in Verstappen and bringing him to the Silver Arrows. He had held talks with the Dutchman before opting to sign Antonelli for 2025.

Ted Kravitz thinks Wolff would replace Russell with Verstappen and not ‘think twice’ about the decision. Mercedes are said to have the fastest engine come 2026, making them an attractive option for the Dutchman.

However, after Mercedes’ strong start to the season, it seems Wolff has had a change of heart. Russell is set to sign a new deal with the Brackley outfit as the team boss is happy with his current line-up.

With that making Mercedes off the table, Aston Martin is Verstappen’s only likely destination. This would be a big win for Russell, as if the 27-year-old were to join the Silver Arrows, the Brit would be the most likely driver to leave.

Antonelli has huge potential in F1 and Mercedes will not want to give up on him after one season. Martin Brundle is ‘quite worried’ for Russell if Verstappen leaves Red Bull, but he may have a better offer on the table than the Brackley squad.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver George Russell’s life outside F1 from net worth to height

Why Aston Martin is Max Verstappen’s best option if he leaves Red Bull

Aston Martin are pushing to sign Verstappen ahead of the 2026 regulations. The Silverstone-based outfit are building an attractive project for the future, with Lawrence Stroll injecting heavy investment behind the scenes.

Part of that has been bringing in Newey to spearhead their operation and build a title-winning car. They will also run with Honda engines come 2026 – two key factors that gave Verstappen incredible success at Red Bull.

It would make the most sense for the 27-year-old to join Aston Martin, given Newey and Honda helped guide him to four world titles from 2021 to 2024. It looks at though the Silverstone squad are doing everything they can to bring him on board.

Aston Martin are preparing a five-year contract for Verstappen, worth up to £206 million per season. Such a huge offer would be extremely hard to turn down – the only questions are whether the Dutchman will take it and if he will replace either Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll.