Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen could hit the brakes at year’s end.
The Red Bull driver said he has considered retiring from F1 at the end of the 2026 — two years before the end of his lucrative contract — admitting that he’s “not enjoying the sport” after a disappointing eighth-place finish at Saturday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
While he has frequently left his racing future undecided, the four-time world champion, 28, has grown increasingly critical of the direction F1 is heading — which has seemingly caused his once-burning passion to taper.
Asked after the race by BBC Sport if that meant he was planning to walk away after the season, he delivered a bombshell: “That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.
“Privately, I’m very happy,” he assured. “You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22, but normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
Verstappen hasn’t held back his frustration with F1’s controversial new regulations, likening the smaller, lighter cars to “Mario Kart” and labeling them “anti-racing.”
He reiterated his stance to BBC by underscoring that his potential retirement has nothing to do with his current form.
“I can easily accept to be in P7 or P8 where I am,” he said. “…But at the same time when you are in P7 or P8 and you are not enjoying the whole formula behind it, it doesn’t feel natural to a racing driver.
“Of course I try to adapt to it, but it’s not nice the way you have to race,” he added. “It’s really anti-driving. Then at one point, yeah, it’s just not what I want to do.”
Should he decide to walk away, the Dutch star would retire as one of the most decorated racers in F1’s history.
Verstappen’s 71 race wins — all before his 29th birthday — trail only Lewis Hamilton (105) and Michael Schumacher (91) for the all-time lead.
He’d also retire as one of the richest.
Verstappen, who joined Red Bull in 2019, inked a five-year, $275 million extension that he signed in 2022 — one of the most expensive deals in the sport’s history.
According to F1 Salaries, Verstappen has a $65 million base salary with potential on-track earnings of $76 million, along with an estimated sponsorship income of $25 million-$40 million annually — yielding potential yearly earnings of around $116 million, trailing only Lewis Hamilton’s estimated $160 million per year with Ferrari. Verstappen could reach roughly $380 million in career earnings by the end of 2026, according to Spotrac.
Despite potentially leaving a hefty sum on the table, Verstappen — whose net worth already sits around $210 million, according to F1 Salaries — was adamant that he never got into racing for the money in the first place.
“I want to be here to have fun and have a great time and enjoy myself. At the moment that’s not really the case,” he said.
“Of course I do enjoy certain aspects,” Verstappen went on. “I enjoy working with my team. It’s like a second family. But once I sit in the car it’s not the most enjoyable unfortunately. I’m trying. I keep telling myself every day to try and enjoy it. It’s just very hard.
“…It’s a bit sad to be honest that we’re even talking about this,” he concluded. “It is what it is. You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I’ll be fine.”
