Max Verstappen lays down the condition that would help him decide his F1 future beyond his current contract that expires in 2028
Max Verstappen has made it clear that his future in F1 would depend on how the new regulations in 2026 have an impact on the racing and what the cars would look like. The Dutch driver has been in F1 since 2015 and completes a decade this year.
The driver has had his gripe with the current state of F1. He's not too happy that there's too much focus on the 'show' aspect. He's also shared objections to an overtly increased number of street races on the F1 calendar while the vintage races continue to disappear. At the same time, the fact that there are a whopping 24 races in a year is a concern as well for Max Verstappen.
The driver has made it clear that his retirement could be closer than expected. The driver has often talked about how he's not after the records and only wants to win and have fun. The new regulations in 2026 are a big test for him because if they are not good, it would give the Dutch driver another incentive to move away from the sport. Talking about his future with the American publication Road and Track, he said:
"At the moment, I have a contract until [2028]. I'll be thirty-one years old at the end of it. Of course that is still very young, but of course I started when I was seventeen. That's a long time in Formula 1."
He added:
"For me, it also depends on how the new cars will be to drive from '26 onwards. Are they enjoyable to drive? The amount of races, how much you're away from home, it's demanding. It doesn't matter if you're very successful or not, for me, that doesn't matter. Of course, we've won already a lot in Formula 1."
Max Verstappen on the potential perks of racing in a different series
Max Verstappen also hinted why another series could give him more time during the year. With the F1 calendar having 24 races, it's almost impossible to find a time that would be on the table for a driver during the year. When one compares that to a different Racing series like WEC, there's often a decent amount of downtime in them and they're not as intense as F1. He said (via Road and Track):
"I'm very happy with what I'm doing and I know when I sit in the car I'll always do the very best. I also want to do other stuff and at one point I also want to do fewer races. Naturally, when you do an endurance championship, it is a little bit less."
Max Verstappen added:
"The one race is more intense, being twenty-four hours, but you do have more free time, you can plan your schedule a bit more. For most of the year, every week, you know exactly what you're doing. It's maybe a bit more relaxed, you can maybe enjoy a bit more life outside of racing."
Max Verstappen's current contract runs until the end of the 2028 F1 season. If he does end up retiring in 2028, it would make him one of the younger racers to call it quits on his own terms.