Verstappen confirms serious thoughts of retirement

Max Verstappen has reaffirmed his thoughts of retiring from Formula 1 before signing with Red Bull.

September 13, 2026

From: dpa/sn

“I seriously considered quitting,” the 28-year-old four-time world champion said in an interview with “Bild am Sonntag”: “But in the end, I love racing.”

Even when he signed his new contract with the former industry leader before the home race in the Netherlands last month, Verstappen had emphasized: "I was closer to quitting than to switching teams."

That's why Verstappen considered retiring

Although there had been talks with other teams, the Dutchman ultimately decided to stay with Red Bull. His previous contract, however, would have been valid until the end of 2028.

Verstappen is not a factor in this year's World Championship fight. He was particularly frustrated by the new cars following the rule changes, which heavily rely on battery power. Furthermore, the new Red Bull is not yet an ideal model. "It would obviously be even more fun if I won every weekend, but the car simply isn't capable of that right now. That's okay, because we're on the right track and we're a good team."

When asked what he thought about criticism that he had only extended his contract to get a pay raise, Verstappen replied: "Nothing at all. Because I don't care what others think of me."
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