verstappen hungary 2024 07 21 180150 gyhj

F1 analyst sees third team as best option for Verstappen amid transfer rumors

14:14, 01 Jul

Updated: 14:37, 01 Jul

byTobia Elia

Peter Windsor has once again spoken about Max Verstappen's contract situation, advising the Dutchman on the move to make ahead of the upcoming season.

Although the silly season hasn’t officially kicked off yet, the ongoing transfer saga linking Max Verstappen to a possible departure from Red Bull at the end of the season remains a hot topic.

As reported by GPblog, the Dutchman intends to stay at Red Bull for the next season despite the uncertainties surrounding the new powertrain project in collaboration with Ford and within the team, but things could still change quickly.

The Mercedes possibility remains alive, but as this site has stated, the rumours that the four-time world champion is already halfway into the 2026 Mercedes seat are not accurate.

Max Verstappen

What about Aston Martin?

What could be a possible alternative option then? According to Peter Windsor, a well-known F1 analyst, a third team might be the right fit for Verstappen.

“Between those two, you go to Aston Martin. Ideally, you’d want to try to get Adrian Newey,'' Windsor told in a conversation with Cameron Cc.

''Andy Cowell, and Honda to leave Aston Martin and join Red Bull. Then you could stay with your friends and have a great time. It would be so difficult dealing with all the Aston Martin stuff. But yeah, that’s impossible.”

“He will have to go to Aston Martin. I don’t see the point in going to Mercedes because in 2026 he’ll face the same question marks as at Red Bull, and he’d also have George Russell in the other car. So why would he do that?”

“He might as well go to Aston Martin and have Lance Stroll in the other car. It’s his team. He can do whatever he wants. He could probably earn a huge amount of money from Stroll Senior, and off you go. He eats his pasta and pizzas with Adrian, is with the guys, and he’s happy.”

Finally, Windsor concluded: ''I think there’s a very good chance he’ll do it because he has offers, and he will take one. And if the Red Bull-Ford turns out to be an incredible car and Yuki Tsunoda wins seven of the first nine Grands Prix or something like that, then he’ll think, ‘Well, I made the wrong decision, but at least I have a filled bank account.''