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“Just a Few More Years”: Max Verstappen Reveals Why He Doesn’t Want to Stick Around in F1

Somin Bhattacharjee
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“Just a Few More Years”: Max Verstappen Reveals Why He Doesn’t Want to Stick Around in F1

It is hard to believe that Max Verstappen is currently in his ninth F1 season, despite being only 25 years old. Verstappen, who made his debut at the young age of 17 has already broken multiple records and is a two-time world champion.

Many feel that if he continues to race for another decade at a level he is right now, he will break all records and statistically stand clear as the greatest of all time. Verstappen, however, has different priorities in life, and doesn’t plan to race when he’s old.

In the documentary, Max Verstappen: Anatomy of a Champion, the 25-year-old talks about the things in F1 he doesn’t like. One of the main things he points out is the fact that he can’t eat what he likes. Normally, Verstappen reveals that he likes to eat a lot pasta and even McDonald’s, but as a top performer in Formula 1, he can’t do that.

“If I were to eat that now, I’d weigh 90 kilos,” the Red Bull driver says.

Max Verstappen had to lose three and a half kilos in a week

During a conversation with his father Jos and partner Kelly Piquet, Verstappen revealed that he gained about three and a half kilos over the holidays. For an F1 driver, this is a huge amount of weight, and he had to work hard to cut it down before suiting up for an F1 race.

Verstappen went on to say that he lost those three and a half kilos in just one week. Someone pointed it out that the only reason he was able to lose weight so easily was because of his young age, and that he won’t be able to do so when he’s 40.

To that, Verstappen replied by saying that when he is 40 years old, he won’t be racing anymore. Hence, he can eat whatever he wants when he reaches that age!

Verstappen on how he doesn’t like other aspects of F1 other than driving

In another scene of the documentary, Verstappen admits that the only thing he likes about Formula 1 is the driving bit. Other than that, he is not a fan of the other things that come along with it. The Dutchman and his entourage acknowledge the fact that as a driver, there is a lot one has to sacrifice if they want to remain at the top, but it takes a toll.

Verstappen says that he keeps telling himself that he has to go through this for “just a few more years”. Like before, he reiterates his desire to retire from the sport in his early thirties, instead of sticking around like the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and rival, Lewis Hamilton.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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