Helmut Marko claims Aston Martin used Max Verstappen’s interest in their GT3 car to “lure” him, but says it’s “only logical” that rival teams would want to sign the reigning World Champion.

Having spent much of last year batting away rumours that he could be off to Mercedes, it seems this year Aston Martin is the team of choice – at least according to Formula 1’s rumour mill – for Verstappen’s future.

Helmut Marko: GT3 was Max Verstappen ‘lure’

According to the Daily Mail, Aston Martin managing director of commercial and marketing Jefferson Slack has been wooing potential sponsors by claiming four-time F1 World Champion Verstappen is set to join the team.

It is, the report claims, a mega-bucks deal with the sum of ‘$1 billion’ being touted.

The claim though, was strenuously denied by Aston Martin, with a spokesperson telling PlanetF1.com: “An Aston Martin Aramco spokesperson categorically denied the story.”

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However, a Verstappen and Aston Martin link-up may not be far-fetched with Marko confirming that there have been talks between Verstappen and Aston Martin. Talks regarding GT cars that is.

“Officially, there has been contact because of Max’s passion for GT racing,” the Austrian told Motorsport-Total. “As we know, Max is a team owner and regularly drives GT cars himself.

“Apparently the Aston Martin is seen as one of the most interesting cars in that category and one has now become part of Max’s GT programme.”

But that doesn’t mean the conversation didn’t bleed into Verstappen’s Formula 1 plans for the future.

“The GT3 was the lure,” he added. “And it is no secret that [Adrian] Newey is a big fan of Max. And then it’s only logical that you make him an offer.

“Whether the bid was really that high, I doubt – especially given Aston Martin’s current share price. But it was certainly a significant bid.

“With someone like Newey on board, who certainly has his own ideas and preferences when it comes to drivers, it would make absolute sense for Aston Martin to at least try and make Max an offer.”

Verstappen won all four of his Drivers’ Championship titles in Newey-designed Red Bull F1 cars, 2025’s RB21 marking the first car since 2007 not penned by the British designer.

Verstappen also weighed in on the Aston Martin rumours at the F1 75 livery launch, and he too confirmed that his talks with the British manufacturer were all about GP racing.

Revealing “the only contact” he had with Aston Martin was about “GT3 for this year, that’s it”, a few days later the F1 champion put the Aston Martin GT3 through its paces in a private test.

Footage emerged on social media of Verstappen at the wheel of a Red Bull/Verstappen.com-liveried Aston Martin GT3 at Circuit Paul Ricard.

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