Max Verstappen Thinking Of Retirement: "It's About Quality Of Life"
It seems that Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1 world champion, is not keen on racing forever. The superstar driver recently reiterated his thoughts about potentially hanging up his racing gloves once his lucrative Red Bull contract expires in 2028. Verstappen, who is currently 25 years old, would be just 31 at the time of his retirement.
The Dutch sensation has been vocal about wanting to explore other aspects of life beyond the high-octane world of F1. If Verstappen does indeed follow through with his retirement plans, he could still end his career with an impressive eight world championship titles under his belt – assuming he wins every year until his contract runs out.
Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko weighed in on the matter, stating:
"If Max has had enough after 2028, he will stop. He is just the type who can make such a decision."
It seems Verstappen is not a fan of the ever-expanding F1 calendar, with the driver expressing his concern about the increasing number of races each season. He believes that 23 or 24 races per year are simply too demanding for the drivers.
With a focus on his quality of life and an eye toward the future, Verstappen explained, "There are other things in life besides Formula 1. I have a contract until 2028, and after that, I'll see. I don't want to spend my best years physically just in Formula 1."
Though retiring at 31 may seem young, Verstappen will still have enjoyed a 14-year career in Formula 1, having made his debut at the tender age of 17 back in 2015.
“Yes, I am seriously thinking about it,” Verstappen said on retirement.
“I know I’m very lucky to drive a Formula 1 car. I can do what I want, but at some point it doesn’t matter. I already have a lot of plans for what I want to do.
He continued:
“It’s also about quality of life. There are other things in life besides Formula 1. I have a contract until 2028 and after that I’ll see.
“I don’t want to spend my best years physically just in Formula 1. With the races multiplying, 23 or 24 a year is far too many.”