Max Verstappen’s future in Formula 1 is hanging in the balance with the four-time world champion reportedly prepared to walk away from the sport.
Verstappen has struggled to replicate his usual dominant form as the grid continues to come to grips with the new hybrid era of cars.
Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every practice, qualifying session and race in the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
The last time the 28-year-old finished outside the top five three times in a row came nine years ago.
He has continually voiced his frustration with the regulation changes to the sport and following the Japanese Grand Prix his anger continued.
He told the BBC that he was “not enjoying the whole formula behind” this season’s championship.
“You just think about, is it worth it?” he said.
“Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
When asked if he could walk away from the sport, he replied that he was “thinking about everything inside this paddock”.
“It’s really anti-driving. Then at one point, yeah, it’s just not what I want to do,” he said.
“And of course you can look at it and make a lot of money. Great. But at the end of the day it’s not about money any more because this has always been my passion.”
While the Red Bull superstar remains under contract until the end of the 2028 season, contract clauses revealed on Monday could see the star walk away earlier.
If Verstappen isn’t inside the top two in the drivers’ standings by a specified date he can leave, according to The Race.
In addition to the clause, it’s reported he doesn’t need to notify Red Bull of his decision until October. Meaning he can elect to depart, watch how things unfold before ultimately walking out of the garage.
After the opening three races of the season, Verstappen sits in ninth place in the drivers’ standings with just 12 points to his name.
While speculation continues to run wild that the Red Bull superstar could leave the sport, there remains the possibility that he could switch teams.
Verstappen has been linked with a shift to Mercedes since midway through last season with talk he could take the place of George Russell alongside Kimi Antonelli.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff however moved to shut down suggestions the team would look to lure the Dutchman.
“Someone said that the Max discussions will eventually come back on the table again,” Wolff told the Press Association. “But no, there are not any Max discussions.
“I could not be happier with the two drivers that we have. The positioning of the two, with the age gap and how it aligns well with our strategy, means there are not any discussions.
“The Max to Mercedes thing for now is not on. The situation is completely transparent. We have clear contracts with both drivers.”
The Formula 1 season will not return until the Miami Grand Prix on May 3, after the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races scheduled for April were cancelled because of the war in the Middle East.