P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why Aston Martin could beat Mercedes in F1 race to sign Verstappen
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed unthinkable that he would part ways with the dominant team of the ground effects era and potentially transfer a championship-winning car to someone else. The Christian Horner controversy has upended the F1 world and revealed tensions within the team. Verstappen is hesitant to continue if Horner remains the team principal and if Helmut Marko, Red Bull advisor, departs. Verstappen’s contract extension to 2028 was signed in March 2022, anticipating the new Red Bull Powertrains engine badged as a Porsche, with Ford eventually stepping in. Despite their success, the likelihood of Verstappen fulfilling the remainder of the deal is slim. The uncertainties surrounding the future of Red Bull and the evolving F1 landscape suggest moving to another team may not be a challenging decision for Verstappen.
