Despite being considered as one of the greatest drivers at the pinnacle of motorsport, Max Verstappen has often hinted at an early retirement. Having racked up four F1 titles at the age of just 27, the #1 driver has highlighted his disdain for the life of a racing driver as one of the factors that will eventually lead to him hanging his racing helmet.
After winning his fourth title at the Las Vegas GP, Verstappen expressed his desire to spend time with his family and pursue his other callings over a long career in F1. But in a recent chat with ServusTV, he has assured the fans that he will at least honor his Red Bull contract which runs till 2028 before considering retirement.
max promised to servus tv he’ll fulfill his contract until 2028 and then he’ll look again pic.twitter.com/XNhfpv0g7R
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) December 16, 2024
Racing runs in the Verstappen bloodline, and the 27-year-old isn’t going to back away from the sport altogether. In the past, he’s hinted at trying Endurance Racing and GT3. Moreover, he also wishes to establish and run his own GT3 team that will take aspiring sim racers from the screens to the real track.
That said, his latest announcement of racing in F1 till at least 2028 means he will be in the sport into his early 30s. But the talk of retirement does seem all too serious given how the next four years can pan out for him and the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Verstappen may never win a championship again
Even at the age of 31 (when his Red Bull contract is due to expire), it would be a shame to see a driver of Verstappen’s caliber turn away from the sport. But being competitive is one non-negotiable demand he’s kept before his employers at Milton-Keynes.
Verstappen has been adamant that he isn’t interested in fighting for mere podiums and points. If he wants to keep up with the excruciating 24-race calendar of the sport, the Dutchman needs to know that he has a fighting shot at the championship.
But the complexion of the competition this season has cast shadows on that aspiration. Despite a strong start to the season that saw the #1 driver rack up seven wins in 10 races, he could only pick up two wins in the last 14.
Next year, the likes of McLaren and Ferrari will have the legs on the Bulls. And if the issues on the RB20 persist with the RB21, then, Verstappen might fall at the very first hurdle going into the 2026 regulations reset — probably never recovering to pick up a fifth drivers’ title.
