Gasly praises Verstappen’s manager for achieving ‘nice pay rise’

Pierre Gasly has offered a mischievous glimpse behind the curtain of Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull deal, suggesting his former team-mate has not only secured his Formula 1 future but also landed himself a rather healthy pay rise in the process.

Verstappen ended months of speculation on Thursday by committing to Red Bull through the end of 2030, bringing one of the biggest storylines of the 2026 driver market to a close.

The financial details of the agreement remain under wraps, as is customary in F1, but Gasly clearly suspects the four-time world champion’s bank balance will be feeling the benefit.

Verstappen was already believed to be the highest-paid driver on the grid, reportedly earning around $50 million annually.

Gasly tips his hat to Verstappen’s manager

Gasly, who spent 12 races alongside Verstappen at Red Bull in 2019 before being demoted to Toro Rosso, was asked about the Dutchman’s decision ahead of his homecoming race at Zandvoort.

His response was short, sharp and loaded with intrigue.

“No, [I'm not surprised]. I think a very good job from his manager and nice pay rise," Gasly said ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, referring to Raymond Vermeulen, who looks after the Dutchman’s interest.

"I mean it's one way of handling things and I think for the sport it's really good news for all of us to have Max on the grid. Arguably the best of our generation, so I think it's definitely good news.

While neither Red Bull nor Verstappen has revealed the precise terms of the extension, retaining the sport’s biggest superstar was never likely to come cheaply.

A Red Bull love story with a hefty price tag

Beyond the money, Gasly believes Verstappen’s decision has created something rather special.

The Dutchman will now have spent an extraordinary length of time with Red Bull by the time his latest agreement expires, having joined the organisation in 2016.

"I find it actually quite a nice story,” Gasly said.

“I can't really recall any driver who spent that much time in the same team. Obviously, it comes with a price for that team, but I think it's just quite a story. I do think it's a positive news for everyone.”

• Read also: Verstappen says retirement was closer than joining rival F1 team

Gasly and Verstappen’s own Red Bull partnership was famously brief, with the Frenchman struggling to match his team-mate before being sent back to Toro Rosso midway through the 2019 campaign.

Six years later, however, Gasly is among those applauding Verstappen’s decision to remain exactly where his extraordinary F1 journey began.

And if Gasly is right about that “nice pay rise”, Red Bull may have had to dig particularly deep to ensure its prized asset had no reason to look elsewhere.

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