Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel has claimed that if it was up to him, he would go “all out with cash” trying to persuade Max Verstappen away from Red Bull. Verstappen, according to Coronel is “worth all of Ferrari”.
Speaking to RN365, the Dutchman said:
“If I were Ferrari, the director of Ferrari, I would now ask: how much will it cost to buy Max [Verstappen] away from Red Bull? Who says it can’t be done? What is Max’s value? It’s what Ferrari is willing to pay for it. That is in any case the reason why Red Bull has signed him for the long term, because then at least you know that you have the best driver in the house.”
He added, saying:
“I’ve seen so many things happen with money! Then you see at once what Verstappen is worth. He is worth infinitely; he is worth all Ferrari. What is Max’s value? It’s what Ferrari is willing to pay for it. That is in any case the reason why Red Bull has signed him for the long term, because then at least you know that you have the best driver in the house.”
Verstappen is currently under a long-term contract with Red Bull that stretches up to 2028 and is unlikely to leave the Austrian outfit. The reigning world champion has expressed his desire to stay with the team throughout his F1 career.
Furthermore, Verstappen is also the joint-highest paid driver on the grid, with his annual salary exceeding $40 million. Hence, it is unlikely that any other team, including Ferrari, is willing to offer more than that.
Meanwhile, the Scuderia already have two capable drivers in Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who have proven to be just as good as Verstappen when they have the quicker car underneath them. Team boss Mattia Binotto has previously expressed satisfaction with his drivers and firmly believes that they are the team’s future.
2021 F1 title campaign “changed” Max Verstappen: Red Bull boss
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has claimed that the 2021 title campaign changed Max Verstappen for the better. He believes that the Dutchman has been driving with more maturity this season as a result of his championship victory.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Horner said:
“Hey [Max Verstappen] did a hell of a job last year. Think back to some of the races that he drove under immense pressure. But again, the racing this year has been excellent, and the cars can follow a bit closer. We’ve seen that across these eight races or nine races so far.”
He added, saying:
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“So yeah, he’s definitely built on his experience from last year, and you can see that having won that World Championship, he’s just driving with even more maturity.”
This time last year, Max flexed on the entire grid.
The commentary was legendary too:
Max Verstappen slows down to take the chequreed flag AND ABSOLUTELY CRUSH THE OPPOSITION
This time last year, Max flexed on the entire grid. The commentary was legendary too: Max Verstappen slows down, to take the chequreed flag AND ABSOLUTELY CRUSH THE OPPOSITION https://t.co/s5pBkRarA1
Max Verstappen clinched his maiden title in the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi after a season-long tussle with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
