Max Verstappen is not a person who would want to stick to Formula 1 till his late 30s. Let alone reaching the age of Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso, the Red Bull driver often talked about how he does not want to stay back in the sport for long. However, he might change his mind and withdraw his thoughts of having early retirement, but the condition he wants will upset Formula 1 and Liberty Media, for sure!
As F1 went on to increase the number of races every year to capitalize on the Middle East and American markets, it left Verstappen disappointed. The Dutchman has been a constant protester of Liberty Media’s decision on this and talked about his retirement coming early as a result.
As per Reuters, Verstappen said that it’s a shame if people start “shortening their careers” because the number of races is too much. The statement has come from someone who “lives” racing and it indeed grabbed everyone’s attention, to say the least.
Max Verstappen was asked if he would stay longer in Formula 1 if the number of races goes down again
His reply: “Absolutely.”
[@motorsportcomnl] pic.twitter.com/nsIcTOJkxD
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) March 1, 2024
If Liberty Media keeps on adding races, Verstappen is sure his F1 days are going to be short-lived. However, if things go otherwise, the three-time world champion confirmed Motorsport that he is “absolutely” staying in Formula 1 for years to come.
Notably, Formula 1 included races in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Miami, and Las Vegas in recent times which took the overall races to 24 in the 2024 season. This is added with the six Sprint races as well as Sprint Shootout sessions, something Verstappen has ample disregard for.
Max Verstappen’s dislike for Sprint races knows no bounds
Much like the increased number of races, Max Verstappen also despises the Sprint format. The Dutchman won most of the Sprint races since its inception in 2021 but spoke against it almost every time. The Sprint race weekend builds extra pressure on the team, as well as on the drivers due to the absence of free practice sessions, something Verstappen is not a fan of.
Furthermore, the defending champion also spoke on the adverse effects the newly included races had on the health of the drivers. F1 had the inaugural Las Vegas GP in 2023 and it proved to be a double-header with the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP.
This resulted in drivers going from extremely cold climates in the United States to fairly warm climates in the Middle East within a week and preparing for the race. As a result, George Russell, Esteban Ocon, and many more from the paddock fell ill and took a long time to recover. This prompted Verstappen to mention how the current situation is neither good for environmental sustainability nor for the human body.
“Traveling also to Abu Dhabi, it’s quite far, timezone shifts, your body really doesn’t know where you are at in the world, and especially so late in the season I think everyone was running a bit, in fumes I think,” stated the three-time world champion.
