MAX VERSTAPPEN is set to sign a new deal with Red Bull but will still be making less than Lewis Hamilton, reports suggest.
Verstappen ended Hamilton’s four-year reign as Formula One champion with a controversial season-deciding victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.
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According to the Daily Mail, Red Bull have thus decided to tie the Dutch star down to a new long-term contract worth £22million per year.
Confirmation of the agreement is expected to take place in the next few weeks.
However, that means he will still be making almost half of what Hamilton earns as the British legend is on £40m per year.
Verstappen’s new salary will see him earn £4m more than what he makes in his current deal, which is set to expire in 2023.
The 24-year-old has been readying his title defence at F1’s pre-season testing in Barcelona.
Verstappen was given a day off on Thursday but was back to work at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
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The Dutchman recently addressed last season’s controversial ending by stating it was “very unfair” to sack Michael Masi as race director.
Masi infuriated Hamilton and Mercedes for taking back his decision that lapped cars would not be able to unlap themselves following Nicholas Latifi’s crash in Abu Dhabi.
That led to the Red Bull star successfully passing the 37-year-old Englishman on the final lap on fresh tyres to win the race and the championship.
Verstappen told Autosport: “For me, it’s very unfair what happened to Michael – he was really being thrown under the bus.
‘Now, [that they] did sack him like that in the first place for me is unacceptable.
“And now basically [that they] sacked him is really incredible. I feel really sorry for Michael.”