Jos Verstappen informs that Max Verstappen can end his F1 career after the expiration of his lengthy contract with Red Bull in 2028.
After winning the championship, Max Verstappen signed a massive multi-year deal with Red Bull, valid till 2028. The deal, worth $226 million excluding bonuses, places him among the richest F1 drivers on the grid along with Lewis Hamilton.
By the time the current deal expires, Verstappen will be over 31. That age is still relatively young, but considering the current hectic schedule of F1, where in 2023 there will be 24 races, Verstappen can cut short his career.
This revelation is by his father, Jos Verstappen, who thinks that Verstappen is not going after the records. Rather he wants to finish his career at a high, but there is his ceiling.
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Why can Max Verstappen retire after 2028?
The former F1 driver claims that his son is in an era where the number of races in a year will only increase owing to the sport’s popularity. Therefore, the Red Bull star could reach his burnout before expected.
“We will take stock again in 2028,” said Verstappen senior. “It’s not like he’s chasing records.” Moreover, he has also noticed his son completely shut off during the off-season.
Thus, he believes that Verstappen can have a life out of F1, which he would thoroughly enjoy. So, it’s likely the Dutchman can call his time before the end of this decade.
The two-time world champion has been longer in F1 than we realise
During one of the Japanese Grand Prix practice sessions, Verstappen first stepped foot in an F1 car at the age of 17. The following season, he got a full-time F1 driver role with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri).
He is still 25, a very young age for any F1 driver, but the length of his F1 career is probably halfway long of any top driver. Thus, if he decides to do only 5-6 seasons more in F1, that would still be 13 years in the sport, which is in no way an ordinary spell.
So, even if Verstappen feels he doesn’t wish to continue in F1 after his early 30s, it would be understandable, as he would be in a hectic sport for almost half his life.
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