F1 News: Rival team preparing £128 MILLION offer to poach Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, China, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Rival team preparing £128 MILLION offer to poach Verstappen

Red Bull are in crisis mode with Adrian Newey's impending departure

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Friday 3 May 2024 09:57

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Mercedes are set to make an offer to more than treble Max Verstappen's salary, in an attempt to lure the Red Bull star out of his current contract.

Verstappen's situation – despite being under contract until the end of 2028 – has been in question for most of the season, with internal friction rife at Red Bull thanks to the fallout of the Christian Horner saga.

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That saga has led to the resignation of Adrian Newey this week, with the legendary designer taking his talents to the open market at the end of the season, and some have warned that Verstappen could join him in walking out the door.

The Sun report that Mercedes are preparing an astonishing £128m-a-year offer for the Dutchman, with his management team expected to sit down with Toto Wolff, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius and Sir Jim Ratcliffe after the Miami Grand Prix.

READ MORE: Newey move to F1 rivals RULED OUT

Verstappen has continued to dominate in 2024

Verstappen Sr.: We'll see what happens

"I think everyone wants him," his father Jos told RaceXpress. "I think Max is ok for the moment. He has a fast car.

"But we also have to look further to 2026, so we're letting everything come to us at the moment. We stay very calm and we'll see what'll happen."

"Normally I'm not going to say anything about that," Verstappen continued. "I don't know anything about it. Basically, there is a deal between him and Red Bull and the rest we'll see.

"We all know how he has performed and how good he is."