“Max Verstappen will no longer be there!": 3x F1 champion hints about his retirement plans

Three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen dropped hints about his retirement plans, as he doesn't see himself racing in the premier motor racing series for over a decade.

Verstappen has been critical of the constant change in the sprint weekend formats and the continued expansion of the season calendar. Earlier this season, the Red Bull ace had threatened to retire from the sport if the organizers continued to tinker with the format and the schedule.

In a recent interview with German publication Blick, the 26-year-old further fuelled the speculations regarding his retirement. When asked his opinion on where the sport was headed in the next decade, Verstappen said with certainty that he won't be sticking around to witness the changes.

"The gas will probably be gone. But our sport is already becoming greener and more sustainable. Only one thing is certain: Max Verstappen will no longer be there!" he said.

Max Verstappen signed a bumper contract deal with Red Bull in early 2022, which will see him through 2028. With the Dutchman racing for the Milton Keynes outfit for the next five years, he will certainly be a part of F1 over the next decade.

The Red Bull driver will be 36 years old if he decides to hang his boots ten years from now. Former 4x F1 champion Sebastian Vettel retired around the same age last year as he quit racing due to his environmental concerns.

The 2026 F1 regulation changes could be one of the major deciding factors for Verstappen's future in the sport. The changes due to the regulations could either speed up his retirement or convince him to stay longer.

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Max Verstappen expands on his post-retirement plans

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko had revealed Max Verstappen's post-retirement plans, as he had suggested the Dutchman was planning to start his own GT Team.

Verstappen, a keen sim racer, hopes to give talented racers a chance at racing in top-level GT series with his outfit. He said:

"Yes, that is my goal. I don't necessarily want to drive myself, but I want to build something big and give the talented people a chance. That doesn't mean that I want to bring them into Formula 1, but I want to help them in racing," Verstappen said.

"There are so many series in motorsport in which you can have fun and be successful. And as a professional racing driver you can make a living from it too. Not just in Formula 1."

Verstappen had earlier suggested that he and his family plan to put together a two-car GT3 team for the GT World Challenge (GTWC) from 2025 onwards.