Max Verstappen has revealed that he “seriously considered” quitting Formula One this year.
According to The Independent, almost a month after signing a contract extension until 2030 with Red Bull, the Dutch-Belgian racing driver admitted that he was considering stepping back before the new deal.
The 28-year-old was also approached by the rival teams for a deal, but Verstappen decided to stay at Oracle Red Bull Racing through the 2030 season.
Max Verstappen to quit Formula 1?
The four-time world champion recently spoke to German publication Bild about his new deal, retirement thoughts and McLaren talks.
Verstappen said, “You have to take every conversation with another team seriously. But in the end, I was closer to quitting Formula 1 than to signing with another racing team. You either quit or you don't, so it's a 50/50 decision. I seriously considered calling it quits.”
“But at the end of the day, I just love racing… If both parties want to work together long-term, why wait? The criticism doesn't bother me. I don't care what others think of me. The only thing that matters is how my family, my management, the team, and I feel about it. I have to be able to get along with myself, and I can," he added.
However, he made it clear that he does not want to compete in his 40s like Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, 45, as he believes that he has already achieved everything he wanted after winning his first title.
The Red Bull driver said that he does not race for history books but for himself, the team and their fans.
Verstappen, who won four consecutive F1 titles from 2021 to 2024, remained winless this season and sits sixth in the Formula One drivers’ standing, 147 points adrift of Mercedes leader Kimi Antonelli.
