McLaren 'approach made to Verstappen' as Red Bull career 'nears end'

A former Formula 1 star has suggested that McLaren 'reached out' to Max Verstappen, before tying Oscar Piastri down to a new long-term contract.

Both of McLaren's current drivers, Piastri and British star Lando Norris, sit above Verstappen in the drivers' championship standings, with the mouthwatering prospect of a championship battle between the two papaya stars now looking like a realistic prospect.

Verstappen, on the other hand, could only finish sixth at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and is reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated by Red Bull's decline in performance, with Helmut Marko recently stating that his future was of 'great concern' to Red Bull.

The Dutchman is contracted until the end of the 2028 season with Red Bull, but Marko has previously revealed that there are certain exit clauses within his contract.

Now, seven-time grand prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya, who also used to drive with McLaren, has suggested that Verstappen's Red Bull career is coming to an end.

"It’s the beginning of the end of Max Verstappen at Red Bull," Montoya told Plejmo. "For sure it is. But in a way, Max has been pretty blessed with being in the best car.

"This year is a bit of a reality check, Max wants to win, but if the Red Bull is not competitive, the negotiation is very different."

Where would Verstappen move to?

So far, it has appeared that there are only two options for Verstappen, if he were to leave Red Bull ahead of 2026, with both of Mercedes' drivers currently out of contract at the end of the season, and Aston Martin rumoured to be looking for a star to bolster their championship ambitions.

However, Aston Martin have been adamant that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are tied down to contracts until the end of 2026, while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has openly pursued Verstappen in the past.

Now, Montoya has suggested that his old McLaren team also attempted to sign Verstappen, alleging that an 'insane' amount of money was thrust his way, before the team opted to sign Piastri on a new long-term deal.

"I think the negotiation a year ago before he re-signed with Red Bull when Toto was very outspoken about signing Max, was very different to what it would be now," Montoya continued.

"The number was an insane number. McLaren also reached out to Max to see how much it was before they re-signed Piastri, and the number was insane. So, at some point Max needs to make a decision, 'Do I want to try to be in the best car, do I want to make a ton of money?'"

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