Max Verstappen giving thought to F1 future after 2026 season: ‘Is it worth it?’

SUZUKA, Japan — Max Verstappen claims he is giving thought to his future in Formula 1 amid his ongoing lack of enjoyment driving the new cars for the 2026 season.

Verstappen, 28, finished eighth in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, crossing the line over 30 seconds behind race winner Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.

It continued the four-time F1 world champion’s disappointing start to the season. He has failed to finish a race any higher than sixth, and has been vocal in his criticism of the overhauled car designs for this season that placed greater emphasis on electrical power, saying he does not find them fun to drive.

Verstappen told reporters on Saturday at Suzuka he was “not even frustrated any more, I’m beyond that”, but that he had “a lot of stuff also for me personally to figure out.” Asked what he meant, Verstappen replied: “Life here.”

Those comments were put to Verstappen following Sunday’s race at Suzuka in an interview with BBC Sport, in which he explained that while he was still giving his full commitment, he was doing so in a way that is “not very healthy at the moment because I am not enjoying what I’m doing.”

Verstappen added: “When you are in P7 or P8, and you are not enjoying the whole formula behind it, it doesn’t feel natural to a racing driver. Of course I try to adapt to it, but it’s not nice the way you have to race. It’s really anti-driving. Then at one point, yeah, it’s just not what I want to do.”

Asked if that related to walking away from F1 at the end of the season, Verstappen replied: “That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.

“Privately I’m very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”

Verstappen’s current Red Bull contract runs until 2028, but he is reported to have a clause in his contract that would allow him to walk away at the end of the year if he is not in the top two of the world championship at a certain point in the summer.

That currently seems unlikely given Mercedes’ dominant start to the year and Verstappen’s own difficult start which has left him ninth in the championship, 60 points behind Antonelli and 51 behind George Russell in second place.

Verstappen has always made clear that he does enjoy still working with his Red Bull team, where he has won all of his championships and races in F1 after graduating from its junior F1 squad in 2016. “It’s like a second family,” Verstappen said. “But once I sit in the car it’s not the most enjoyable unfortunately. I’m trying. I keep telling myself every day to try and enjoy it. It’s just very hard.”

Verstappen has suggested for many years he did not anticipate racing in F1 forever, recognizing the importance of life beyond the sport. Last year, he became a father, and he has furthered his interests outside of F1 by entering sports car racing with his own team. He will take part in the famed 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in May after entering a smaller race event last week at the circuit.

“It’s not like if I would stop here that I’m not going to do anything,” Verstappen added in the interview. “I’m always going to have fun, and also I will have fun in a lot of other things in my life.

“But it’s a bit sad to be honest that we’re even talking about this. It is what it is. You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I’ll be fine.”

F1 bosses are set to meet in the coming weeks to discuss potential rule changes with the current engines to potentially ease some of the concerns raised by drivers over the first three races of the season.