Hughes: Verstappen Should Pick Aston Martin Over McLaren If He Leaves Red Bull

F1 insider Mark Hughes believes Max Verstappen should favor Aston Martin over McLaren if he leaves Red Bull, arguing Adrian Newey's presence makes the Silverstone project far more compelling than joining an established frontrunner.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's future remains a defining paddock storyline, and Hughes argues the three-time champion should bet on Newey's genius rather than plug into a team already winning. Newey's arrival has fundamentally altered Aston Martin's development philosophy, pointing toward a long-term bid to reshape the competitive order.

The details:

• Hughes revealed Newey refused to piecemeal-develop the opening 2026 challenger, instead accepting a slow start to prioritize a mid-season 'B' spec car targeting fundamental deficits.
• The Aston Martin currently runs the steepest rake angle on the grid, a signature of Newey's Red Bull era. While rivals struggle to feed adequate airflow to the rear at low speeds with such geometry, Newey retained the concept to gather data he believes will unlock greater potential.
• Hughes called this indifference to short-term perception classic Newey: "He doesn't think like the others. When he is wrong, the knowledge gained usually enables him to come back with something devastating."
• Hughes also urged Fernando Alonso to re-sign with Aston Martin immediately, underscoring confidence in the project's upward trajectory.

The big picture:

Newey's approach attacks root deficiencies rather than applying quick fixes, a philosophy that has historically produced dominant machinery once fundamentals align. For Verstappen, Aston Martin offers a high-risk, high-reward challenge built around one of F1's greatest technical minds rather than a comfortable transition to an existing title contender.