Max Verstappen ‘not really thinking about’ Formula One future

AUSTIN – Max Verstappen said he is not thinking about his Formula One future beyond the current season with Red Bull.

The three-time world champion and current F1 points leader reportedly has exit clauses in his deal with Red Bull that would allow him to change teams in 2026, two years before his contract expires.

“Yes, of course, I know it’s possible (to leave), but I’m not really thinking about it right now. At the moment, I have enough to worry about with other things we want to do better,” Verstappen said in an interview published by Motorsport on Oct 15.

“We will see what happens in the future. At the moment, I am not really thinking about it too much, to be honest. But if it doesn’t happen, then so be it. It won’t change my life.”

In late September, former driver Ralf Schumacher warned that Verstappen is serious about potentially quitting Formula One over a swearing row. The Dutchman had already suggested he could turn his back on the sport sooner than expected if the sport’s governing body stopped him having fun and being himself.

Verstappen was ordered by stewards to do “community work of public interest” with the International Automobile Federation (FIA) after he used a swear word in a press conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

The penalty, which he described as “super silly”, led Verstappen to give only short answers or offering “no comment” to reporters in the official FIA post-qualifying press conference on Sept 21.

Schumacher told Sky Deutschland: “I trust Max to stop if this escalates because he is simply independent. He has enough money. He has often spoken about the fact that he won’t be in Formula One forever. So I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Verstappen has won seven races this season, but none since the June 23 Spanish GP. The F1 campaign returns from a month-long break at the Oct 18-20 United States GP in Austin, Texas.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has made his interest in Verstappen clear. Aston Martin are another potential outfit for the 27-year-old.

Earlier in October, Verstappen’s father said Red Bull “will explode” if they continue to lose key employees.

Jos Verstappen, a former F1 driver, expressed his concerns over the recent departures of chief strategist Will Courtenay to McLaren, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley to Sauber and design guru Adrian Newey to Aston Martin.

Jos said the instability under team principal Christian Horner is not sustainable.

“It can’t go on this way. It will explode. There is tension here while he remains in position,” Jos told Mail Sport.

He also told Motorsport: “This is what I warned about. The team then says: ‘Oh, it doesn’t matter, we have someone else (we can put in that position). But it’s too many people now (leaving). And Max gets questions about it every time and so on. I think it’s just not good.” REUTERS