Verstappen Weighs F1 Retirement Over Anti-Driving Rules
Four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen says he may quit the sport at the end of 2026, telling the BBC the new regulations have stripped the joy out of racing.
The Dutch driver has struggled under F1’s biggest ever rule overhaul, which introduced new power units, chassis and a heavy shift toward electrical energy this season. He has been buried in the midfield.
“I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock. Privately I’m very happy,” Verstappen said. “And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family?”
He was blunt about the new era. “It’s really anti-driving. Then at one point, yeah, it’s just not what I want to do.”
Verstappen, 28, won four straight drivers’ titles between 2021 and 2024. His Red Bull contract runs through 2028. But that means nothing if the man himself walks. And right now, he sounds like a driver asking serious questions about his future.