Max Verstappen has lost $50M in value since last year, according to former McLaren man

Former McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya feels that Max Verstappen has lost $50M in value since last season because of the position he finds himself in right now. The Dutch driver is going through a tough phase at Red Bull, and even though it is not his doing, it has put him in a position where he cannot fight for the title.

Since 2021, this is the first time that Max Verstappen is more or less out of title contention already, as the Red Bull is just too many steps behind McLaren in terms of performance and results. Last season, the driver was at the top of the standings.

He was on a run of three consecutive titles and led the championship from the very first race of the year. This time around, however, he has been forced to contend with far too many races where he's not even in contention for the win. Talking to betting site Coinpoker, Juan Pablo Montoya felt that the change of situation had affected Max Verstappen's value as well.

Last season, if someone had to extract him out of Red Bull, it would have to be done in a manner where it is very lucrative, and hence, more money needs to be doled out. This season, that is not the case, as the team is not in a great position, and getting Verstappen to sign the dotted line would not be as tough an ask. He said,

"If I had negotiated a contract with Max (Verstappen) last year, he would probably have cost 100 million (in salary). This year he is in a difficult car and it could well be that I can sign him for 50 million."

Max Verstappen focused on 2026 as he jumpstarts preparation for new regulations

Max Verstappen came out in Hungary to reassure that his future was going to be with Red Bull in 2026. The Dutch driver claimed that a lot had been written about his future and comments were made about what he was going to do in 2026.

In a bid to end all speculation, Max Verstappen said that he was looking forward to racing with Red Bull in 2026 as the partnership tries to gain an early competitive level for the regulations overhaul. He said,

"The point is, there are always other people talking a lot, while I don't really say anything. Because I don't have to in the first place: I don't have to say anything. I think that's better for everyone, instead of just chatting."

He added,

"There's no point anyway. It's a bit of a waste of time. I'm very focused on 2026 with the team, looking ahead and making sure we understand the rules and are competitive from the start."

While Max Verstappen does reaffirm his faith in Red Bull for 2026, the fact that he was seen spending the summer break with Toto Wolff is not something that's going to give the Austrian squad much confidence on the driver's long-term future with the team.