Mario Andretti admits: “I’d give an arm to have Max Verstappen and Adrian Newey on my team”. Mario Andretti, involved in the Cadillac project, spoke about the market rumors surrounding Max Verstappen.

Courting Max Verstappen
In Formula 1, there’s hardly any time to catch your breath, even off the track. Following one of the most incredible driver markets ever—where the most successful driver in history, Lewis Hamilton, moved from Mercedes to Ferrari, and the most esteemed and decorated designer in motorsport, Adrian Newey, left Red Bull for Aston Martin—the 2025 season has opened with rumors of a mega offer from Aston Martin to secure reigning world champion Max Verstappen for a hefty price.

Lawrence Stroll seems willing to spare no expense to elevate his team to the top of the grid, and bringing the orange superstar on board appears to be a key component of the Canadian billionaire’s long-term plans. But does it make sense to invest so much money in a single driver? Yes, according to motorsport legend and 1978 F1 champion Mario Andretti.

Mario Andretti understands Stroll
Mario Andretti, who will be involved in the anticipated Cadillac project entering F1 in 2026 as the 11th team on the grid, admitted that he too would be willing to go all out to have the best driver in the world on his team. Speaking to the Dutch site F1 Maximaal, Andretti confirmed that he finds Aston Martin’s persistent courting of Max Verstappen entirely understandable.

“I know for sure that they [Aston Martin] would like to have Max Verstappen,” the Italian-American champion commented, “and let’s be honest: if you surround yourself with people who have proven to be the best, then you’re almost guaranteed to achieve results. Honestly, who wouldn’t want Adrian Newey and Max Verstappen on their team? I’d give my right arm to have them on mine, so I understand Aston Martin.”