Honda wants to continue working with Verstappen

      Rumors about the possible departure of Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing at the end of the season appear with enviable regularity. In mid-April, the Italian press reported that Max had received an offer to sign a contract with Aston Martin, according to which he would earn 264 million euros in three years.

      The team promptly denied these rumors, but Koiji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, which will become a supplier of power plants for Aston Martin from 2026, said he would like to continue working with Max Verstappen.

      Koji Watanabe: "First of all, we are doing everything possible to help Max win his fifth title this year. And only after that, we will turn all our attention to cooperation with Aston Martin.

      But I must honestly say that I hope that one day Honda will have the opportunity to work with Verstappen again. I sincerely hope so.

      I've talked to Max many times, and he's always been positive about our approach to work and mentality. Max is very sociable with the Honda engineers. He speaks to them very clearly, and thanks to this attitude, the engineers become real fans of Max and fully devote themselves to their work. People see him not only as an athlete, but also as a person. And I have deep respect for him."