Newey: It's unrealistic to try to attract Verstappen at this time.

      "Aston Martin is indulging in "pipe dreams" if it believes Max Verstappen would think about trading his Red Bull for a green car in the "short term." This perspective comes from Adrian Newey, the designer of all the title-winning cars for the quadruple world champion from 2021 to 2024. However, this year, Red Bull is facing more challenges, particularly with the departure of 66-year-old Formula 1 design mastermind Newey, who has joined Aston Martin for 2025 and onward. The first Aston Martin designed by Newey will only compete in 2026, and during his first visit to a paddock this season in Monaco, he confessed he has "no idea" if it will be a competitive car.

      "If we ever want to attract Max, our priority must be to create a fast car," Newey acknowledged. "He is undeniably an extraordinary talent and a fierce competitor, but there's no use dreaming about having him in the near future. Max simplifies things, and in this particular instance, he will select the team he believes boasts the fastest car."

      Beyond speed, some believe another crucial element for the 27-year-old Verstappen when selecting a team is the ability to operate freely—like testing at the Nordschleife or opting out of official ‘F1’ movie viewings. Sport1 inquired with former F1 driver Nick Heidfeld in Monaco whether Verstappen is increasingly perceived as a "rebel." "It's hard to say," the 48-year-old said with a smile. "But you can see he doesn’t conform. He has confidence in himself and challenges the status quo. His decision to avoid Netflix because he found it too inauthentic says a lot. What’s essential is that he remains humble and continues to evolve, and that’s precisely what he is doing."