MAX VERSTAPPEN has penned a new £37million-a-year contract with Red Bull.
And now the reigning champion is in the same pay bracket as bitter title rival Lewis Hamilton.
Max Verstappen is now in the same pay bracket as rival Lewis Hamilton
The Red Bull star has penned a whopping £37m-a-year contract after winning the F1 title
The Dutch driver, 24, will now be tied to the team until after his 30th birthday after committing his future to them.
He visited Red Bull’s factory in Milton Keynes yesterday to wrap-up his bumper extension after initially agreeing terms while in Barcelona last week for pre-season testing.
Verstappen’s pay rise has now fired him right up alongside £40m-a-year Hamilton as Formula One’s top earner.
However, given the length of his contract, it could be argued that it is the most remunerative package in F1 history.
Red Bull have yet to officially confirm that Verstappen has agreed to the extension but are believed to be set to confirm the news later this week.
However, Sun Sport understands that it is all done and despite reports elsewhere, it is worth £37m per year.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had been trying to lure Verstappen over to them but that move broke down at Silverstone in 2020.
The driver was involved in a 180mph collision with Hamilton and needed hospital treatment afterwards.
But he was upset with how enthusiastically Mercedes celebrated victory while medics attended to him.
Verstappen begins his title defence in Bahrain in 18 days.
That will be his eighth season in F1 and debuting aged 17 in the 2015 Australian Grand Prix for Toro Rosso.
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