Max Verstappen, four-time Formula One champion, discussed the possibility of his retirement and his negotiations with the McLaren team in an interview. Verstappen, who has extended his contract with Red Bull until 2030, stated that he was closer to retirement from Formula One than signing a contract with another team.
Analysis of Verstappen's situation this season
28-year-old Verstappen has not been able to achieve victory this season and is currently in sixth place in the drivers' standings. After finishing second in the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, he is 147 points behind Kimi Antonelli, the driver for the Mercedes team. Verstappen said, "You have to take any negotiation with another team seriously, but in the end, I was closer to retirement than signing a contract with another team."
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Reasons for Verstappen's contract extension with Red Bull
Verstappen explained that his decision to extend his contract with Red Bull was not due to any pressure from external factors. He said, "If both parties want to have a long-term collaboration, why should we wait? Criticism doesn't matter to me. I don't care about others' opinions." The driver also emphasized that only the feelings of his family, management, and team matter to him, and he needs to come to terms with himself.
Verstappen, noting that he has nothing else to prove to himself in Formula One, said, "I am a four-time world champion, and after my first championship, I achieved everything I wanted. I don't think about history; I race for myself, my team, and our fans. That's why the final decision was made quickly."
Verstappen also compared himself to Fernando Alonso, the driver for Aston Martin, stating that he does not expect to continue racing in his forties. He clarified, "I don't think so, but predicting this is impossible. I will continue to compete as long as I enjoy racing."
The Formula One calendar will resume in two weeks with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
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