Unsurprisingly, four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen is a man in demand.
Red Bull will be delighted that even though issues with their car throughout the 2024 season saw their dominance reined back compared to last year, Verstappen still came away victorious at the end of the campaign.
His seven wins in the first 10 races provided a buffer at the top of the Drivers’ Championship before McLaren and Ferrari surpassed Red Bull in the development race.
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Max Verstappen |
437 |
| 2 |
Lando Norris |
374 |
| 3 |
Charles Leclerc |
356 |
| 4 |
Oscar Piastri |
292 |
| 5 |
Carlos Sainz Jr |
290 |
| 6 |
George Russell |
245 |
| 7 |
Lewis Hamilton |
223 |
| 8 |
Sergio Perez |
152 |
Verstappen’s legendary performance in Sao Paulo snuffed out any chance of his closest rival Lando Norris closing the deficit and an assured display in Las Vegas confirmed the title for the Dutchman.
The 27-year-old’s success makes him a leading candidate for any team looking to improve their driver pairing going forward.
Jos Verstappen is unhappy with Red Bull and the turbulence that surrounds the team, meaning a potential exit for son Max isn’t completely out of the question.
Verstappen was speaking on a Viaplay documentary at the end of the season and discussed the interest in his services from other teams on the grid and whether that interests him.
Max Verstappen discusses Mercedes and Aston Martin interest in signing him
Verstappen was asked if talks between himself and Mercedes have changed this year or even become more serious and he said: “Not really, actually.
“Of course, we always talk to each other and I’m not lying about the fact that we’ve sat together either.
“But that in itself is not a problem either, I think. But I still just really like where I’m sitting.
“I think we had a very constructive conversation. And I think everyone has always been very honest and open to each other.
“But on the other hand, I’m also very loyal to my own team and I just feel at home there. Then there’s really not a lot to be gained at the moment.”
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Verstappen then added: “In 2026, of course, there will also be new rules. But at the moment I’m not that busy with that, to be honest.
“I’m still very young, so a lot can still happen in the future as well. For me, it’s not just about Formula 1 either.
“After that, I also want to do a lot of things. I am also thinking about that. Who are the right partners for that? Those are things I’m thinking about, but also not necessarily deciding on now.”
The four-time world champion was then asked about a potential move to Aston Martin and joining Adrian Newey when he teams up with the Silverstone-based outfit in March.
When questioned about whether he would consider following Newey, he said: “No, I haven’t talked about that at all either, just nothing at all.”
Even the allure of Honda power engines wasn’t enough to swap Verstappen who added: ”No, that’s very clear. At the moment I haven’t thought about that at all.”
Aston Martin already looking forward to 2026 after disappointing 2024 F1 campaign
Red Bull only finished two positions above Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship this year, but there was a nearly 500-point difference between their tallies by the end of the year.
Aston Martin dropped off a lot in 2024 compared to the previous year when Fernando Alonso scored eighth of the nine F1 podiums they’ve achieved in the sport.
However, Lawrence Stroll hasn’t hidden his interest in signing Verstappen one day if he becomes available.
READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage
It’s yet to be seen if that would be in place of Alonso should he retire or Lance Stroll if they decide they need to strengthen their line-up.
It’s interesting that only Mercedes appear to be on Verstappen’s radar, but Aston Martin will know that their opportunity to prove to the Dutchman that they’re a serious outfit arrives in 2026.
Honda engines, a full year of Newey development and the completion of their state-of-the-art factory will give them the perfect platform to show that they’re title contenders.
