Aston Martin boss Mike Krack says the “door is always open” for Max Verstappen to join the team following the signing of Adrian Newey.

Newey was announced as the Silverstone-based team’s managing technical partner ahead of the Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix and will start work on April 1, 2025 after stepping down as Red Bull’s technical director.

Newey, who will also become a shareholder in the team, is the biggest name Aston has been courting, while owner Lawrence Stroll is also interested in signing Verstappen to drive for the team, which will use Honda engines from the 2026 season.

The Honda-designed and powered machine has been the foundation of Verstappen’s success in F1, with three titles and 56 of his 61 wins since Honda joined Red Bull in 2019.

Despite being under contract until 2028, Verstappen’s long-term future at Red Bull remains up in the air due to a worrying decline in form, Newey’s departure and ongoing tensions behind the scenes.

It’s a start Krack is keen to seize.

“The door is always open for Max Verstappen,” Krack told the media.

“When you appoint Adrian Newey, first of all, it’s proof that this project is credible, that Lawrence’s whole vision is not just words but real action that we can confidently deliver as a team.

“This is not the underdog team that it was before, this is a team that is confident in what they can do, but now you have a completely different approach with partners and drivers.

“[Signing Newey] opens up a lot of doors for the future.”

The appeal of Aston Martin
Krack went on to say that he feels Newey’s arrival will make the team an attractive prospect for any young engineer – and for the team as a whole.

“We’re more attractive in every way, just by signing [Newey],” he said.

“Because of the increased credibility of proving that the project can actually achieve its goals, if I were in college and I saw this signing ceremony, I would say, ‘Maybe I can learn the most there, so let’s try to achieve that.

“So I think there will be that effect.”