Max Verstappen revealed an important possibility about his future in Formula 1, after the qualifying session for the Dutch GP. The four-time world champion believes that his new contract with Red Bull Racing could be the last of his career in the category.
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Verstappen renewed his contract with the team this week for another two years, extending the agreement until the end of 2030. Despite this, the Dutch driver has not yet decided if he will continue competing in F1 after this period, leaving the decision conditioned on the direction the category will take in the coming years.
When asked after the qualifying session in Zandvoort if the current contract will likely be his last in Formula 1, Verstappen answered directly: “Yes, the chances are high.” This statement indicates that, at this moment, the Dutchman considers it more likely to end his career at the end of the new contract with Red Bull.
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The possibility of staying beyond 2030, however, was not completely ruled out. Verstappen had already indicated that a possible return of V8 engines could influence his decision to continue in the category, and reaffirmed that he intends to observe how F1 will evolve before making a definitive decision.
“I don’t know. That also depends a bit on how the next few years will be,” Verstappen concluded, when asked if the possible return of the V8s could make him reconsider his position. Thus, although the current contract points to a possible final stretch of his trajectory in Formula 1, Verstappen still keeps open the possibility of staying beyond 2030 depending on the direction of the category.
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