Max Verstappen has suggested he could leave Formula 1 when his current Red Bull contract ends.
After winning his first world championship last year, the Dutchman signed a long-term extension with the team until the end of 2028, the longest of any current driver on the grid.
By that point, Verstappen will have completed 14 seasons in F1, and he admits that could be the moment he decides to move on.
“I’m not planning on changing teams. I’m happy here and they are happy with me,” Max was quoted by the Daily Mail. “But I haven’t made up my mind what I will do after 2028.
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“I might stop. I have been in Formula 1 since I was 17. It’s been a long time. I’ve done a lot of seasons in F1.
“I may want to do different stuff. By 31, I don’t know whether I will have peaked or where the drop-off in performance may have occurred.”
Verstappen is well-known for putting his driving skills to the test in other racing machinery virtually as part of the Team Redline eSports squad.
And the opportunity to do so in real life also appeals to him.
“I want to do other types of races,” he confirmed. “Maybe I will have had enough of travelling all the time. Maybe I will want an easier life and just do the races I like.
“Maybe Le Mans. I do like endurance races so I will probably do some, hopefully soon, but for me, it doesn’t really matter.
“Whenever an opportunity comes to win an F1 championship, you want to take it. If I’m in a fight in 2028 it may be stupid to suddenly stop. It’s difficult to know.”
ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ʀᴀᴄᴇ ?
It was a tricky one with the strategy because of the safety cars, but luckily we were able to make it work in the end @redbullracing ? pic.twitter.com/ijmPh9iI60
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) June 19, 2022
One race not on Max’s radar though is the Indianapolis 500 due to the risks of oval racing.
“I’ve no desire to chase the Triple Crown, at least not IndyCar,” Verstappen said.
“I appreciate what they do. It’s insane, these drivers. I have a lot of respect for what they achieve there, but I don’t need to risk my life there and potentially injure myself, your legs, whatever.
“It’s just not worth it anymore, let’s say like that.”