Max Verstappen pictured driving F1 rival's car in STUNNING development

Max Verstappen

Verstappen pictured driving F1 rival's car in STUNNING development

Could Max Verstappen leave Red Bull?

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 8 October 2024 13:20 Updated: 08:52

Max Verstappen has been seen behind the wheel of an Aston Martin sports car amid talk he could leave Red Bull and even Formula 1.

Following one of the most dominant seasons in F1 history, Verstappen has had to contend with the gradual decline of his Red Bull in 2024.

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The team’s performance woes have allowed Lando Norris to sneak closer to Verstappen in the drivers’ championship, whilst McLaren currently reign over their rivals in the constructors’.

Red Bull’s decline has left the team puzzled, with Verstappen voicing his frustration in multiple post-race interviews, particularly in Baku where he claimed that they would be ‘bad until the end of the season’.

Max Verstappen has been left frustrated by Red Bull's decline in performance in recent races

Lando Norris and McLaren have edged closer to Max Verstappen in the title fight

Will Max Verstappen leave Red Bull?

The team have also had to contend with issues off-track, following allegations against team boss Christian Horner of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by a female colleague - claims that have been dismissed following an internal investigation.

However, Jos Verstappen has argued that the team is being ‘torn apart’ by Horner, especially after high-profile defections from Red Bull stalwarts Jonathan Wheatley, and Adrian Newey.

The legendary designer will join Aston Martin from March 2025, as their managing technical partner and a key figure to help them launch a championship bid.

Whilst their current line-up consists of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, some believe that instability at Red Bull could force Verstappen to look elsewhere in 2026.

Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan GP, Verstappen revealed he was open to the idea of moving to Aston Martin, stating that it was something to think about ‘for the future’.

The Dutchman has now taken to track in Aston Martin machinery whilst F1 has a mini-break, which will do nothing to quell those rumours.

It is a stunning development to see Verstappen testing sports cars given the recent talk that he could soon depart the sport altogether. Verstappen has openly discussed racing in other series, such as at Le Mans, so racing outside of F1 is an avenue he could potentially explore in the future if he feels his time in the series is up.

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A post shared by Max Verstappen (@maxverstappen1)

In response to the above post, Aston Martin even left a cheeky comment on Verstappen’s Instagram, which read: “The Vantage GT3 looks good on you Max 😉.”

Fans were quick to spot the union with some questioning whether it was a ‘nod to the future’, and speculating about a move for the champion.

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Formula 1 Lando Norris Aston Martin