Max Verstappen is currently the second most successful driver on the grid, but there has been much talk about his retirement.
Max Verstappen believes that one day his body will tell him when it’s time to retire from F1. The reigning world champion will turn 31 years old when his contract expires one day after the 2028 season.
With Verstappen now firmly in the running for the greatest drivers of all time and with a chance to challenge the record of seven world titles jointly held by Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, there have been rumors that he may retire before this time.
The 26-year-old has been in the sport for almost a decade after making his F1 debut at the record age of 17 in 2015 and is keen to take part in various legendary sports car races in his prime his, instead of in the Golden Age. the final stages of his career. Speaking about how he sees his future in F1, Verstappen said: “I know of course there comes a time when you stop winning. But if you’re 15th, you might not benefit from that. But if you’re always fighting on the front line, trying to win races and have a chance to return.” To the top, to the top, I can definitely still enjoy F1.”
Verstappen was also asked if he thought that one day he would no longer have the desire to race, to which he replied:
“Sure. I think it’s very normal. Of course, I’m still very young, but at some point I think you’ve had enough. “Everyone gets it at some point, I think because you realize your body can’t take it anymore. In some sports, you have to accept that. And in a sense, it’s time to retire. Of course, at some point you may want to do something else or run less. But not yet.”
In terms of fitness and longevity, if Verstappen has to wait until his body prevents him from retiring from F1, we may have to wait a while longer. Fernando Alonso is still racing at the age of 42 and shows no signs of slowing down, pushing the limits of what can be done with a modern machine.
Hamilton also appears to be turning 40, with the 38-year-old signing a new two-year contract earlier this summer that will keep him at the team until the end of his current term.