Penske signs Verstappen for 2027 in blockbuster deal

April 1, 2026 – In one of the most audacious driver signings in motorsport history, Roger Penske has secured four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen starting with the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season, sources confirmed exclusively to AutoRacing1.com.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Verstappen will take over the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske, replacing Joey Logano, whose recent string of subpar finishes and inability to close out races has left the organization searching for a new direction. The deal is valued at a staggering $100 million per year — eclipsing Verstappen’s current estimated $70 million annual F1 salary at Red Bull — and includes a multi-year commitment that also sees the Dutch superstar running the Indianapolis 500 in a fourth Penske entry.

NASCAR Chairman Jim France and the France family are footing a significant portion of the salary, fulfilling the exact $100 million figure that insiders had been quietly pushing for months to lure Verstappen stateside.

Max Verstappen is expected to carry out a secret Cup car test on April 1, 2026 at Daytona

The move was brokered with crucial help from two powerhouse partners who refused to let Verstappen walk away from high-level racing entirely. Ford, already locked into a long-term F1 partnership with Red Bull, stepped in to keep their star talent under the Blue Oval umbrella by facilitating the switch to Penske’s NASCAR Fords. Red Bull, meanwhile, will remain deeply involved as primary sponsor for Verstappen’s NASCAR program and his Indy 500 effort.

“Max wanted real racing again,” a source close to the negotiations told AutoRacing1.com. “Not this lift-and-coast, slow-down-to-charge-your-battery, software-over-driver nonsense that Formula 1 has become. He called the 2026 cars ‘Formula E on steroids’ for a reason. NASCAR is raw, it’s wheel-to-wheel, it’s left-foot braking and balls-to-the-wall oval racing. That’s what he fell in love with when he first slid into a race car years ago.”

Verstappen’s frustrations with F1’s direction have been well-documented. After struggling through the early stages of the 2026 season and openly questioning whether the sport was still “worth it” compared to time with family and friends, the 28-year-old made it clear he would not stick around beyond his current obligations if the rules didn’t change dramatically. Penske pounced.

The 2027 schedule will see Verstappen contest the full Cup Series slate — except for the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend. Instead, he will make his Indianapolis 500 debut in a surprise fourth Penske entry, flying straight from the Brickyard to the next NASCAR race the following week. Team Penske confirmed the car will carry full Red Bull branding.

The last Formula 1 race at Zandvoort is scheduled for August 21–23, 2026. NASCAR is reportedly on the verge of signing a 5-year deal to bring the Cup cars to Zandvoort starting in 2027 to have Verstappen race in front of the ‘Orange Army’ of fans. When NASCAR found out that Zandvoort had a banked turn, that sealed the deal

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 leads Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL38 Mercedes during the F1 Dutch GP at Circuit Zandvoort on August 25, 2024 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Logano, a two-time champion and longtime Penske stalwart, is expected to be released from his contract at the end of 2026. Sources say he was informed of the decision last week and took the news with the class expected from a veteran.

Verstappen himself has yet to comment publicly, but those close to him say he is “ecstatic” about the opportunity to race the way he always wanted — flat-out, no hybrid systems, no energy management, just driver versus driver on the ovals and road courses that made NASCAR famous.

Roger Penske, reached at his Detroit headquarters, was typically understated but clearly thrilled.

“We’ve always believed in putting the best drivers in our cars,” Penske said. “Max is the best in the world right now. He’s going to raise the level of competition across the entire garage. And yes — we’re going to win a lot of races.”

Max Verstappen and Roger Penske shake on their landmark deal

The France family’s willingness to open the checkbook underscores NASCAR’s aggressive push to globalize the sport and attract the planet’s biggest names. With Verstappen’s massive European and worldwide following, the move could be the single biggest marketing coup in NASCAR history.

Details on sponsorship, car number (expected to remain 22 but could be 03 – his current number in F1), and exact contract length are still being finalized, but one thing is certain: 2027 is going to be very loud, very fast, and very orange.

Mark Cipolloni reporting on April 1st for AutoRacing1.com