Verstappen says 2026 could be his last F1 season

Max Verstappen said Sunday he may retire after 2026, telling BBC he is “thinking about everything” amid frustration with F1’s new rules.clickondetroit
The Red Bull driver has been critical of regulations requiring heavy battery management, calling the racing “anti-driving” and comparing it to “Mario Kart.”clickondetroit
Kimi Antonelli, 19, won at Suzuka to become the youngest driver to lead the world championship, as F1 enters a five-week break.espn

Verstappen Considers Retiring From F1 After 2026 Season

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen openly acknowledged he may walk away from Formula 1 at the end of the current season, telling the BBC after Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix that he is no longer enjoying the sport under its sweeping new regulations.

“That’s what I’m saying,” Verstappen told the BBC when asked whether this could be his last season. “I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.”clickondetroit

The 28-year-old Red Bull driver finished eighth at Suzuka, continuing a difficult start to 2026 that has left him without a podium finish through three races. The win went to 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, who became the youngest driver to lead the world championship.espn

“Anti-Driving”

Verstappen stressed that his frustration lies not with Red Bull’s competitiveness but with the fundamentally altered nature of the 2026 cars. The new hybrid regulations require that roughly half of the car’s power comes from its battery, forcing drivers to constantly manage energy deployment rather than push to the limit.yahoo

“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 said. He added: “It’s really anti-driving. Then at one point, yeah, it’s just not what I want to do.”clickondetroit

Earlier this season, Verstappen compared the new cars to “playing Mario Kart,” a remark that drew a rebuke from former driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who said F1 should “show the door” to drivers who “disrespect the sport.”gpblog

Contract and What Comes Next

Verstappen’s Red Bull contract runs through 2028, but Dutch outlet De Telegraaf reported that “crucial weeks” lie ahead for the Dutchman as Formula 1 enters a five-week break following the cancellation of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Reports have long indicated that performance-related exit clauses exist within his deal.espn

Verstappen hinted at what life after F1 might look like. He already owns a GT3 racing team, Verstappen.com Racing, which competes in GT World Challenge Europe, and made his own GT3 racing debut at the Nürburgring last year. He has also spoken about a potential future run at Le Mans.racingnews365

“You can make a lot of money, great,” Verstappen said Sunday. “But at the end of the day it’s not about money anymore because this has always been my passion.”sportsnet

The next race is scheduled for May 3 in Miami.clickondetroit