Scott Gulbransen
Max Verstappen has never really been the type to throw a tantrum, but he’s also never been particularly good at hiding what he actually thinks. Cagey? Occasionally. But when something is genuinely bothering him, it tends to come out — usually at a press conference microphone, usually without much filter.
But on a podcast last week? He went there.
Appearing on the Up to Speed podcast, Verstappen again hinted he might not be long for the F1 world.
“I just want to live my life, you know, you only live once basically, and I don’t think I want to spend 25 years of my life sitting in a car. I want to enjoy what’s out there,” Verstappen said.
Is Verstappen That Disgusted with New F1 Regulations?
You don’t hear that very often from drivers. Especially not from a 28-year-old, four-time Formula 1 world champion. Max saying the new regulations for 2026 don’t give him a reason to carry on in F1 is a massive quote.
The 2026 cars are built around a much heavier reliance on hybrid power. F1 is also introducing active aerodynamics, meaning parts of the car’s bodywork will physically move to reduce drag on the straights and improve efficiency. The goal is a cleaner, greener car. Whether it’s a more exciting one is exactly what Verstappen is arguing about.
“I’d say the new regulations aren’t helping to extend my F1 career, but it doesn’t matter, I’m happy with my trajectory, I can easily leave it behind, I have other projects,” Verstappen continued.
The idea of Max Verstappen retiring from F1 is a difficult concept to get one’s head around, especially when one considers the fact that he has been in the sport since he was 17 years old.
In any case, he is currently signed with Red Bull through the end of 2028, and plans to begin nearing the end of his F1 career when he turns 31.
Verstappen Still Has His Edge But That’s Not the Point
It’s not like Max Verstappen is tired of losing — after all, he hasn’t lost much lately.
Instead, he’s now saying he wants to spend more time with his partner, Kelly, and their young daughter, Lily. He’ll also keep running his GT3 team at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and is considering a trip to Le Mans.
All of that sounds perfectly reasonable.
He’s still a massive racing fan, but he’s not as fully committed as drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. He just doesn’t want to still be driving an F1 car in his 40s the way those two are.
“Who cares when you’re 60 or 70 if you win four or 10 titles?” Verstappen said. “I’m getting older and I’d like to spend more time with my family.”
So there you have it. He suggested this back in 2022 at the end of his current deal. And now, with his glasses still sporting fog from this weekend’s ski trip to the mountains, he has officially proposed it.
Despite hints of this in previous years, you get the sense that this time, Verstappen is dead serious.
Will he walk in 2028? Doubt it. However, many drivers have said exactly that kind of thing to the media in the past, only to sign a new deal before they’d even finished the sentence. The fact that one of the greatest drivers in F1 history believes things can’t carry on “indefinitely” is music to the ears of the rival team that’s currently blocking his shot at a third championship in a row.
If you’re relatively new to F1, then enjoy Max while it lasts. It could be an F1 career that’s over sooner than many of us can imagine.
