(Zandvoort) On the eve of its 200e Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen has stated without hesitation that he will never reach the 400 career mark.
At the age of 26, Verstappen is the youngest F1 driver in history to take part in 200 career Grands Prix, and he will do so in front of his home fans, no less, at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday.
“No,” Verstappen said bluntly when asked on Thursday if he imagined being behind the wheel of a single-seater for another 200 races – the equivalent of eight more F1 campaigns.
“We’re past the halfway point (of my career), for sure, and it’s been an incredible ride,” he added. “I don’t feel like I’ve done 200 races, and obviously we do a lot of events each season, so it could increase quickly.”
No driver has reached the 400th career F1 Grand Prix. Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who drives for the Aston Martin team, will however contest his 395the this weekend in the Netherlands.
Verstappen, the reigning triple world champion, has a contract with Red Bull until 2028 and is unlikely to announce his retirement. However, he appears unlikely to follow the path of Lewis Hamilton, who will turn 40 next year, as he moves from Mercedes to Ferrari. The Briton will negotiate his 347e Grand Prix in career on Sunday.
One thing, however, could influence Verstappen’s decision to leave F1: the adoption of the new regulations that will govern the premier series of motorsport from 2026.
“Certainly, 2028 is still a long way off,” he said. “I’m not thinking about my next contract right now. I just want to live in the moment, see how the new rules impact the series, you know, whether it’s going to be fun or not. And then, even in 2026 or 2027, I’ll still have a lot of time to think about my future. All options are open. But yeah, I’m not too concerned about it.”
Verstappen has been in F1 since he made his first race with Red Bull’s farm team Toro Rosso in 2015, aged just 17. Verstappen, who is a fan of virtual racing, added that he would like to explore other motor racing series, as long as they are less demanding than F1’s current 24-race calendar.
“When I’m done in F1, I’d like to do something else,” he continued. “Be more relaxed, do fewer races, but also spend more time at home, because I know that as soon as I invest myself in a project, then I want to be the best I can be. I want to win. Let’s wait and see what opportunities come my way.”