There has been a lot of internal turbulence at Red Bull for almost all of 2024. The unsettled atmosphere has made life difficult for key figures such as Max Verstappen and Adrian Newey, who want nothing to do with the off-track antics. Formu1a.uno reports that they might soon be heading out of the team, should there be a massive change in the Aston Martin management structure.
Saudi Arabian Oil Group (Aramco) is getting increasingly interested in buying Aston Martin from Lawrence Stroll as per reports. In 2020, speculations arose that the group wanted to acquire the rights of F1 from Liberty Media. Ultimately, it did not happen. Instead, they became Aston Martin’s title sponsors. Seeing the massive growth of the sport in the last four years, Aramco now wants a bigger piece of the pie.
| A Aramco pretende adquirir a Aston Martin F1 Team.
Eles também querem Max Verstappen e Adrian Newey. pic.twitter.com/yfbU87cb7d
— F1 em Português (@F1emportugues) March 19, 2024
Should the takeover happen, Aramco will be eyeing a massive overhaul of the team. Most importantly, they will try to bring in two of the biggest names in F1. Three-time world champion Max Verstappen and Engineering genius Adrian Newey are both on Aramco’s radar. Aramco is the biggest company in the world in terms of market cap, meaning they shouldn’t face financial difficulties in securing the move. Furthermore, since the cost cap excludes drivers’ and the three most senior personnel’s salaries, Aramco could even offer blank checks for them to fill.
Saudi interest continues to grow in F1 at a rapid pace. Much of it was visible in Jeddah. Hence, there is little doubt about the country’s commitment to the sport. Given Aramco is a state-controlled company, a shortage of funding should hardly arise. Given the same, the coming months could see a massive overhaul in F1 structure, especially if Red Bull’s off-track woes continue.
2026 could be key in deciding the future of Max Verstappen and Adrian Newey
As Red Bull continues to dominate the rest of the grid under the current regulations, anticipation grows stronger for 2026. With a major regulation change, the playing field should once again be level. Every team will start from the same point and build accordingly, giving most of them a chance to make a push for the championship.
Furthermore, Aston Martin will move away from their partnership with Mercedes. Instead, they will source their engines from Honda, who currently provide engines to Red Bull. This forthcoming alliance could also boost Aston Martin’s chances of signing Verstappen.
SAUDI ARAMCO REPORTS SECOND-HIGHEST YEARLY PROFIT IN ITS HISTORY, BOOSTS DIVIDEND PAYOUT TO $100B pic.twitter.com/4LIIArlHes
— Stocksified (@Stocksified) March 10, 2024
Verstappen is very familiar with the prowess of a Honda engine. Most of his wins and all of his championships have come while driving a car powered by them. Hence, he might be inclined to join a team that has Honda engines, which won’t be the case at Red Bull as 2026 will see them switch to engines made in-house without any backup supplier.
Should Aramco take over Aston Martin, chances are high that the tides will turn their way. A revamped management structure and a potentially new driver lineup could make them top contenders for the championship from 2026 onwards.
