Aston Martin Formula 1 boss Mike Krack has expressed that the “door is always open” to Max Verstappen amid rumours that the team could court the Red Bull driver.
The Silverstone-based squad announced earlier this week that Red Bull’s outgoing designer Adrian Newey will become its Managing Technical Partner in March 2025.
Aston Martin obtaining the man who has been the inspiration behind Red Bull’s success in F1 has triggered reports that it could turn its attention towards Verstappen.
Newey has designed the cars that Verstappen has guided to three consecutive Drivers’ Championships and 61 race wins since his promotion to Red Bull in mid-2016.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin’s aspiration to reach the pinnacle in F1 will see it partner with engine supplier Honda, who has expressed a desire to reunite with Verstappen.
The Dutchman is contracted to Red Bull until 2028, but the reigning champion’s waning competitiveness has prompted speculation that he could chase an earlier exit.
Krack has conceded that Newey’s impending arrival will alter Aston Martin’s mindset in the driver market, which could extend to headhunting Verstappen in the future.
“The door for Max Verstappen is always open, for everything,” Krack told RacingNews365.
“When you manage to appoint Adrian Newey, first of all, it is proof that the project is credible, that the whole vision of Lawrence is not just words, but it is real action that we can take confidence from as a team.
“This is not an underdog team like it used to be in the past, it is a team that should be confident it can do it, but also you now have a completely different approach with partners and drivers.
“[Signing Newey] opens a lot of doors for the future.”
Krack also believes that Aston Martin adding Newee to a star-studded technical team will make the team more enticing to both experienced and upcoming engineers.
“We will be more attractive in every area, just because of signing [Newey],” he said.
“Due to the increased credibility as it proves the project can really achieve the targets and if I was in university and would see this signing, I would say: ‘I can probably learn most there, so let’s try to get there’.
“So I think there will be that effect.”
Aston Martin has both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll tied to contracts through 2026, when revised technical regulations will provide a reset to the pecking order.
