By Saajan Jogia
Former Formula One champion Damon Hill has revealed that any team hoping to sign Max Verstappen must be willing to pay him an “astronomical” salary. Verstappen is the highest-paid driver on the F1 grid today with a reported salary of $75 million.Hill’s claim comes amid Verstappen’s ongoing talks with the Mercedes F1 team, as confirmed by George Russell. The four-time world champion’s Red Bull contract lasts until the end of 2028, but an exit clause can be exercised earlier in case he decides to part ways.Verstappen was also linked to an Aston Martin move, likely for 2026. The Silverstone outfit onboarded Red Bull’s former chief technical officer, Adrian Newey, this year, who was responsible for designing the team’s dominant cars.Notably, his exit to Aston Martin as the new managing technical partner and shareholder could entice Verstappen to switch teams, especially considering the performance challenges being faced by Red Bull. This is especially relevant, given Red Bull’s split with power unit supplier Honda next year, when the sport enters a new era of regulations.Honda becomes an official power unit supplier for Aston Martin, while Red Bull will make its own engines in collaboration with Ford under the Red Bull Powertrains banner.Hill, however, suggested another team for whom Verstappen could be an option. Regardless of the marque, the Dutchman will be an expensive driver to sign. Speaking to GQ magazine, the 1996 champion said:”There’s a good chance he’ll be reunited with Adrian Newey at Aston Martin.”He’s already using the Honda power unit [at Red Bull], so he knows what that’ll be capable of.”I think Mercedes must still be eyeing him up. Or it could be Ferrari, I don’t know.”His asking price will be astronomical.”Planet F1 reports that Verstappen’s salary for the 2025 season is $75 million, $18 million more than seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton’s $57 million Ferrari salary.For Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, the high price tag may not be a hindrance, given his interest in signing Verstappen, which arose last year after Hamilton announced his 2025 Ferrari move. While Wolff admitted that there is little chance of Verstappen racing for Mercedes in 2026, he didn’t rule out a partnership with him in the long run. Wolff said:”I think when you look at the situation we have with Kimi [Antonelli] and George, we have a perfect line-up that we very much enjoy, that we believe is the future.”But at the same time, there is a four-time World Champion that needs to decide what he’s going to do in the future, and that is just, as a team principal, you need to see where that is going.”But I think I give it a very little probability that this is going to happen.”When asked if the little probability was for 2026 or the long-term future, he said:”I don’t know what’s going to be in three or five years.”That’s why you need to look at what should be considered on the long term.”He added:”Nothing needs, in a way, to come towards favourable for us, because with George and Kimi is what we want to be and what we want to continue.”But, in order to plan right for the long term of the future, you’ve got to understand what other people do.”