Max Verstappen has joked that Zak Brown had one brief conversation with his management before being turned off from the idea of signing him because of “how much he would have to pay”.

The hottest property in Formula 1 as he chases a fifth successive Drivers’ Championship title, Verstappen commands the highest reported salary on the grid – a whopping $65 million.

Max Verstappen to McLaren?

It’s a price tag that not many teams could match.

But according to De Telegraaf, McLaren still made enquiries about the Dutchman ‘some time ago’, although exactly when the publication didn’t state.

The feelers came from the higher-ups, McLaren CEO Zak Brown getting in touch with Verstappen’s management team to ask about his contract situation at Red Bull to get a clear picture of any potential availability.

It remained as one call ‘to explore the market’, Brown confirmed to the publication.

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But why just one call? Verstappen joked that’s because Brown learned what it could cost to sign him.

“He didn’t, he didn’t call me,” Verstappen told Viaplay when asked about the report that McLaren had reached out to him.

Asked if he had instead called Verstappen’s management, the driver confirmed that.

“Yes, but I think that didn’t last long,” he said. “When he knew how much he would have to pay, it was over immediately.”

Pressed on how much was ‘much’, Verstappen chuckled: “A lot!”

But while Brown and McLaren may have been interested in signing Verstappen, one team that is still said to be keen on pouching the 27-year-old from Red Bull is Aston Martin.

Verstappen though, has reiterated that he’s “happy” with Red Bull.

“I’m entering my eleventh season. So I won’t be investing my energy in such things,” he said.

“I’m happy where I’m at here.

“Of course we’d like to go quicker, I think everyone wants that. I do my best and at the same time I’m busy with other things so I can put my heart into that as well.

“And then I go home, I can do things together with family and friends and yeah, that’s it!”

Meanwhile, Toto Wolff has called off his pursuit of the four-time World Champion as he does not want to “flirt” outside of his relationship with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

“I think we said it really clear last year, he said the same, we need to concentrate on our driver line-up,” he said.

“I won’t flirt outside if I’m in a good relationship, and this is true for this year too.

“So at the moment, that [signing Verstappen], is not on any radar.

“And I don’t plan to shift my concentration away from these guys [Russell and Antonelli]. And make sure that George has some visibility very soon, or has a contract very soon.”

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