Max Verstappen drops retirement hint after clinching Formula 1 crown

Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen has poured fuel on the fire of retirement speculation after clinching his fourth straight F1 crown.

Max Verstappen dropped a retirement hint after winning fourth title. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Max Verstappen looks like he might be taking advice from Kenny Rogers after the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The Red Bull maestro clinched his fourth straight Formula 1 world title on Sunday after finishing ahead of nearest rival Lando Norris to push his lead out to an unassailable advantage.

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Verstappen equalled Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel on the all-time list, sitting one behind Juan Manuel Fangio and three titles back from all-time leaders Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

But as the fireworks went off in the night sky and the champagne began flowing, the 27-year-old addressed his future in the sport and hinted at why he’s considering walking away from the sport.

“There is so many more things that I want to do in my life,” Verstappen said.

“Also just having a bit of fun and catching up with my family. Nowadays my dad or mum will call and I’m like ‘I’m busy I’ll call them back later’.

“But I also know there will be a day when they are not calling me anymore, these kind of moments make me realise it is not all about racing and I want to spend time with them. ”Because from when I was four years old, my family’s lives have been dedicated to me and success and trying to get to Formula 1 and at one point that’s enough and then you have to give back and spend more time with them

“At the end of the day that’s way more important than all the success here. It’s great and I love it, I love to be competitive, I love to win championships and races but at one point family comes first and you really have to savour those moments.

Asked about how much more silverware he’d like to add to his growing trophy cabinet, Verstappen again pointed to knowing he won’t be around much longer in the sport.

“I’d like to win another 10 championships, but I know I’m not going to be in Formula One in 10 years,” Verstappen said.

Verstappen dropped a hint when he could be set to walk away. Clive Rose/Getty Images/AFP

The Red Bull star isn’t planning on sticking around long. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP)

It’s not the first time Verstappen has made reference to walking away from the sport, recently pointing out his tenure behind the wheel could be dependant upon the performance of the new cars come 2026.

“At the moment, I have a contract until (2028). I’ll be 31 years old at the end of it. Of course that is still very young, but I started when I was 17. That’s a long time in Formula One,” he told Road & Track.

“For me, it depends on how the new cars will be to drive from ‘26 onwards. Are they enjoyable to drive? The amount of races, how much you’re away from home. It’s demanding.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re very successful or not. For me, that doesn’t matter. Of course, we’ve already won a lot in Formula One. For me, it’s not that I have to stick around and try to prove myself. I don’t have this desire to win eight or nine titles.

“(So) I’m very open-minded at the moment. I’m like, ‘Let’s just see, wait until the real car is there, how it drives, and go from there’.

“It’s not just about the driving experience, it’s the whole package, how it comes together. I’m not really stressed about my future. I want to enjoy it and of, course, I want to do well. I want to win. It’s also about enjoying what you’re doing.”

Verstappen is enjoying the ride. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Verstappen entered the Las Vegas Grand Prix simply needing to cross the line ahead of Norris to wrap up the 2024 title with two races remaining.

In what was a rather uneventful race, Verstappen pulled away from his McLaren rival and coasted to the finish line as he crossed in fifth.

The normally feisty Red Bull driver stuck to the plan as he barely put up a fight as Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc overtook him in the latter stages of the race.

With the drivers’ championship wrapped up, all eyes now turn to the constructors title with McLaren (608) holding a 24-point lead over Ferrari (584) with Red Bull (555) 29-points adrift in third.

The Formula 1 paddock will head to Qatar before the 2024 season wraps up in Abu Dhabi with the final race taking place on December 9.