Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has supported the idea of Max Verstappen leaving Red Bull for Aston Martin to reunite with Honda and Adrian Newey.
From next year, Honda will become Aston Martin’s power unit supplier with new regulations taking effect, while Newey began his role as the team’s managing technical partner on March 3.
Meanwhile, Red Bull is set to build its own powertrains from 2026, with technical backing from Ford. However, there have been reports that Red Bull is facing challenges in preparing for next season.
Herbert has heard similar rumors and believes Verstappen should consider moving to Aston Martin if it offers a better chance of securing more championship titles.
“There are rumors that things have been tougher than expected for Red Bull and not as positive as they hoped,” Herbert told CasinoApps. “If things aren’t going as planned with the power unit, and you know the successful power unit will be at Aston Martin with Adrian Newey, it makes total sense for Verstappen to make that move. Max is smart, and he’ll want to put himself in the best position to win races and championships.”
Verstappen was previously linked to a high-profile move to Aston Martin during the winter, although the team denied such reports. With Red Bull transitioning to its own power units for the first time, the 2026 season is expected to be challenging, given the extensive engine development experience of Ferrari and Mercedes.
Although Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, Herbert believes the four-time world champion likely has performance-based exit clauses. Should Red Bull face difficulties and Aston Martin succeed, Herbert wouldn’t be surprised to see Verstappen make the move.
“If things aren’t working out at Red Bull, especially with Ford, and an opportunity arises at Aston Martin, I’d be shocked if Max didn’t take it,” said Herbert. “He knows that, with Adrian and Honda, Aston Martin could be the place to be. Racing drivers are driven to win, and Max is no exception. He’s all about winning.”
Despite Christian Horner’s assertion that Verstappen is staying at Red Bull, Herbert argues that contracts don’t matter if performance isn’t there. “Champions always have performance clauses in their contracts,” he added.
