Max Verstappen delivers F1 quit threat as frustration grows at sport’s focus.

Three-time world champion Max Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until December 2028 but there are no guarantees he will continue in Formula 1 beyond that date

There have been rumors of Max Verstappen’s unexpected retirement from Formula 1 because he feels that there are “so many more things in life than Formula 1.”

In order to make history, the 26-year-old has won three straight world titles. With 17 wins out of the 20 races this year, the Red Bull driver has dominated the championship; the other two victories have been shared by Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.Verstappen is the big favourite to win next year’s F1 title and is still young enough to become the sport’s most successful ever driver. Lewis Hamilton, who is still competing, and Michael Schumacher share the record for the most world tiles with seven each.

Yet Verstappen is unsure how long he’ll continue in F1 for. He remains under contract with Red Bull until at least December 2028 but insists he’s already “very happy” with what he’s achieved in F1 and won’t be afraid to explore his options when the time comes.

Verstappen spoke about his future in a wide-ranging interview with TIME Magazine. He was asked whether he would like to become the most successful driver in the history of F1. He replied: “Would I like to win seven? Yeah, why not?”

But the superstar continued: “Even if I don’t win seven, I know that there’s still so many more things in life than F1. I’m already very happy with what I have achieved… at one point you have to outweigh the success against just general quality of life.Verstappen also revealed the strain of spending his life on the road. He added: “I feel like I’m living out of a bag, out of a hotel, all the time. At the moment that’s fine. I love driving. I love winning. But the older you get, maybe one day that’s not anymore what I want.”

Verstappen is right when he says that the F1 calendar is tough. The 22-race season this year will conclude in Abu Dhabi later this month, having begun in Bahrain in March. Worldwide, races take place in nations like Italy, the United States, Azerbaijan, and Japan.

The 17-year-old Verstappen began his Formula One career in 2015 with Red Bull’s second team, Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri). His father, Jos, was a driver. In 2016, he received a promotion to Red Bull’s main team and won the Austrian Grand Prix in that same year.

Before the safety car was brought out in the late stages, Hamilton was on track to win that race and a record eighth world title. Hamilton made the decision to hold off on pitting because he didn’t want to lose his lead and thought the race would end with a safety car.However, Masi permitted one green-flag lap of racing. With new tires, Verstappen was able to pass Hamilton on the last lap after stopping. Verstappen won his first championship in a controversial manner, but he won the following two with races remaining.