Target objects: LCR Honda or Trackhouse Aprilia?
Specifically, the focus is on two satellite teams: LCR Honda, led by Lucio Cecchinello, and Trackhouse Racing, which currently plays the role of Aprilia satellite and is headed by Justin Marks. However, neither team boss is currently willing to sell. According to SkySport.it, Verstappen’s camp has initially made a non-binding inquiry – a kind of “market exploration” to test the basic willingness to sell team shares.
According to SkySport.it, the quote reads: “Max Verstappen, through his entourage and his father Jos, is said to be knocking on the doors of Honda and Aprilia to indirectly gauge the willingness of their respective satellite teams, LCR and Trackhouse, to sell their shares in full.”
No quick decision expected
At this point in time, however, an immediate takeover seems unlikely. The existing structures of the teams and their strategic importance as factory partners argue against a short-term sale. A place on the MotoGP starting grid therefore remains a distant prospect for Verstappen for the time being. As SkySport further reports, the four-time Formula 1 world champion will have to “wait until someone grants him a license for a place on the grid.”
Entry costs of up to €30 million
According to Sky’s estimates, the acquisition of a MotoGP team is estimated at around €25 to €30 million (approximately $26.8 to $32.2 million). That’s a hefty sum, but compared to Verstappen’s rumored $300 million Red Bull contract (around €280 million), such an investment would hardly be a financial obstacle for the Dutchman.
Not the first F1 star with MotoGP ambitions
With his supposed interest, Verstappen is following a trend among top Formula 1 drivers. Lewis Hamilton has previously been linked with a possible takeover of the Gresini Ducati team. However, no concrete results have been forthcoming as yet. There is also movement at management level: former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner has been linked with a stake in Tech3 KTM for months – a move he recently confirmed officially.
It remains to be seen whether Max Verstappen will actually soon emerge as a MotoGP team owner. The necessary conditions are currently lacking, but the interest seems serious – and could cause a stir in the MotoGP paddock in the long term.
