22/08/2024
NEWS STORY
On the eve of his 200th Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has ruled out the idea of contesting a further 200 races.
It seems like only yesterday that the fresh-faced youngster made his debut with Toro Ross at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, thereby becoming the youngest ever driver to start a Grand Prix and sending the FIA into a blind panic.
By season end, the FIA had revised the rules thereby limiting the age at which a driver could compete in the sport, while, just weeks later having to award the Dutch teenager its "Rookie of the Year", "Personality of the Year" and "Action of the Year", awards at its annual awards ceremony.
The following year, just five races into the season, the teenager was switched to Red Bull to replace Daniil Kvyat, famously winning on his debut with the Austrian team.
This weekend's Dutch Grand Prix marks his 200th start, but when asked if he foresees himself remaining in the sport for another 200 races he was in no doubt.
"No, that's an easy answer," he said. "We have passed half way, for sure, it's been an incredible ride," he added. "It doesn't feel like 200 but we do a lot of races now in a year so you add them quite quickly."
His current contract with Red Bull - signed in 2022 after securing his first title in controversial circumstances - expires in 2028, asked if that might be the right time to walk away from the sport he replied: "2028 is so very far away, in my mind.
"I am not thinking about a new contract at the moment," he added, "I just want to see how it goes. Also to see about the new regulations, if it is fun or not then in 2026 or 27 there is a lot of time to decide what happens so I just keep everything open. I am quite easy going about it."
Meanwhile, the three-time world champion was keen to play down some of the recent departures from the team, not least Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley.
"We just focus on the performance on track," he said. Of course, some people have been leaving, some people have been joining, some get announced, some don't," he added. "That's, I think, life in Formula 1, especially when you have been very successful.
"It's normal that other teams try to steal people away," he continued. "It's not new to Formula 1 anyway. I'm not too worried about it. We just need to stay focused and make sure that we have the right people at the right place.
"I have a great relationship with Jonathan and it always will be like that," he said of Wheatley who is joining Audi. "Of course, he's moving to a different team, but it's a different opportunity for him and also a different role. And yeah, sometimes, of course, it's also a bit of a new challenge, right?
"There are no hard feelings or whatever," he insisted. "I'm happy for him. He gets that opportunity. Of course, he will be missed within the team."