Max Verstappen has often hinted at the fact that he might be planning for an early retirement from F1, amidst major speculations that the Dutchman may choose to leave the sport soon, as per a report by F1Maximaal, former F1 driver David Coulthard Believes that Verstappen can be extremely successful even after his retirement from the sport.
It has been quite some time that Verstappen has made his frustrations regarding the F1 life public. Even after earning a salary of about $55,000,000, the reigning world champion has questioned the quality of life that any F1 driver has to live. He has been extremely averse to the ever-expanding F1 calendar, which is leaving the drivers with less and less time for themselves.
Max Verstappen has mentioned the possibility of retiring after 2028 in the past. The recent developments in Formula 1 seem unlikely to change his decision.
“Racing is my life, but at some point it’s not worth it anymore.”
[@ErikvHaren]#F1 #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/1G8Z91Yqt0
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) April 1, 2023
Verstappen has often spoken about his desire to explore the other realms of motorsports, and he wants to do it at his peak. Therefore, there is quite a huge chance of him hanging up his racing boots when his current contract with Red Bull comes to an end in 2028. And even if Verstappen does decide to take that path, Coulthard is confident that he will be quite successful even then.
David Coulthard has confidence in Max Verstappen’s off-the-track career
Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard recently spoke to Motorsport.com and said, “Max has a great future ahead of him, whatever he ultimately does.” Coulthard happens to be a great candidate to comment about a future in F1 – off the track.
He then gave his own example and said that Verstappen could also have a link with Red Bull even after his retirement. “As I am still associated with Red Bull, although I have not raced in F1 for fifteen years, Max can look forward to similar long-term relationships,” said Coulthard.
Sebastian Vettel and David Coulthard driving at Nürburgring pic.twitter.com/8TemgCCCP6
— F1 To Rule Them All (@F1RulesMedia) September 9, 2023
The Scottish driver used to race in F1 from 1994 to 2008, spending the last four seasons of his career with Red Bull. Even after his retirement, he remained an important part of the team, helping them with PR events and consultations. He also recently drove the 2012 RB8 around the Nordschleife for a demo run.
Verstappen is an extremely attractive partner for sponsors
Coulthard also spoke about how Verstappen is an extremely attractive target for sponsors. The 13-time GP winner explained that Verstappen is a no-nonsense figure who loves racing and nothing else apart from that, making him very easy to be associated with in terms of being a sponsor.
EA Sports have announced a new partnership with Max Verstappen for the upcoming 2023 season 👀 pic.twitter.com/PUGFjNza4w
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) February 3, 2023
Coulthard said, “He is very dedicated to his racing, does exactly what is needed to get the job done, and is authentic in what he delivers. What you see is what you get, which is attractive to partners.”
Verstappen already has several extremely lucrative partners – EA Sports and Heineken being some of them. He has also been a partner of ViaPlay and, obviously, Red Bull. Therefore, his marketing potential is not in doubt and will only continue to grow in the future.
