A former Formula 1 star has suggested that McLaren ‘reached out’ to Max Verstappen, before tying Oscar Piastri down to a new long-term contract.

Both of McLaren’s current drivers, Piastri and British star Lando Norris, sit above Verstappen in the drivers’ championship standings, with the mouthwatering prospect of a championship battle between the two papaya stars now looking like a realistic prospect.

Verstappen, on the other hand, could only finish sixth at the Bahrain Grand Prix, and is reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated by Red Bull’s decline in performance, with Helmut Marko recently stating that his future was of ‘great concern’ to Red Bull.

The Dutchman is contracted until the end of the 2028 season with Red Bull, but Marko has previously revealed that there are certain exit clauses within his contract.

Where would Verstappen move to?

However, Aston Martin have been adamant that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are tied down to contracts until the end of 2026, while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has openly pursued Verstappen in the past.

Now, Montoya has suggested that his old McLaren team also attempted to sign Verstappen, alleging that an ‘insane’ amount of money was thrust his way, before the team opted to sign Piastri on a new long-term deal.