Dutch publication De Telegraaf, an outlet close to the Verstappen camp and usually on the money when it comes to all things Verstappen, reported on Sunday night that the Red Bull<\/a> driver is seriously considering his future in F1.\u00a0<\/p>\n Verstappen\u2019s bombshell remarks have left fans wondering whether the 28-year-old Dutchman really could make what would be a sensational decision to retire.\u00a0<\/p>\n It feels like Verstappen is closer than ever to quitting F1, but how realistic is the prospect of him actually walking away?\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Should we take Verstappen\u2019s quit threat seriously?\u00a0<\/p>\n It is worth noting that this is not the first time Verstappen has indicated he could leave F1 before his contract with Red Bull expires at the end of 2028.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even as early as 2023, during the height of his supremacy at the top of F1, Verstappen first started hinting at such a scenario.\u00a0<\/p>\n Verstappen has repeatedly expressed doubt over whether he will remain in F1 beyond the age of 31. Before the current season began, Verstappen planted seeds that he could leave F1 if he didn’t find the new generation of cars fun to drive.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since pre-season, Verstappen has been the loudest and harshest critic of F1\u2019s new rules, making a series of increasingly-disparaging comments about the 2026 cars and power unit regulations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Verstappen has made it abundantly clear he is unhappy with the new rules and wants F1 to make changes. At the heart of Verstappen\u2019s frustrations is that he feels the new cars are more about energy management than pure speed and driver skill.<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Verstappen wants to see a return to what he considers to be \u2018real\u2019 racing and qualifying laps that push driver and machine to the limit. He is not alone in his complaints about qualifying, with several of his peers left feeling underwhelmed on Saturdays.\u00a0<\/p>\n While Red Bull\u2019s lack of competitiveness certainly won\u2019t have helped Verstappen\u2019s current dissatisfaction, this is not simply a moan because he no longer has a dominant car. He has, after all, been consistent in his criticism about the new rules ever since he first tried the 2026 cars in the simulator a couple of years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n Verstappen is not enjoying the new generation of F1 cars<\/p>\n Some of the more cynical F1 observers have questioned whether Verstappen\u2019s quit threat is simply an attempt to alter the rules.\u00a0<\/p>\n While there\u2019s certainly some clear motivation for Verstappen to apply pressure on F1\u2019s big bosses for his own benefit, it would not be fair to simply view this as being a bluff.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Verstappen genuinely wants to enjoy what he is doing and F1 is not giving him that sense of fulfilment he is seeking, regardless of his competitive standing.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I can easily accept to be in P7 or P8 where I am, because I also know that you can’t be dominating or be first or second or whatever, fighting for a podium every time,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I\u2019m very realistic in that and I’ve been there before. I’ve not only been winning in F1. But at the same time when you are in P7 or P8 and you are not enjoying the whole formula behind it, it doesn’t feel natural to a racing driver.<\/p>\n “Of course I try to adapt to it, but it’s not nice the way you have to race. It’s really anti-driving. Then at one point, yeah, it’s just not what I want to do. 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.”<\/p>\n What options does Verstappen have?\u00a0<\/p>\n F1 will now observe a five-week break because the Iran war caused the cancellation of the Middle East double-header in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n The unplanned hiatus from racing in April is set to be an important period for Verstappen as he weighs up what he wants to do with his immediate future.\u00a0<\/p>\n Much is likely to be determined by the decisions F1 makes about the rules, with a series of meetings planned with governing body the FIA, the teams and power unit manufacturers over the coming month. Any tweaks to the rules are likely to have a bearing on what Verstappen decides to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n Retirement is the word being banded about the most and this would be the most dramatic of the options on the table for Verstappen.\u00a0<\/p>\n It would enable him to spend more time with his family, having become a dad for the first time last year, while also pursuing his many other hobbies such as racing in other categories.\u00a0<\/p>\n Should he decide to walk away from F1, Verstappen could race in sportscars full time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Verstappen has already made his GT3 debut and is set to contest the iconic Nurburgring 24 Hours in May. There are other series he has a desire to try out too.\u00a0<\/p>\n Verstappen is preparing to tackle the legendary Nurburgring 24 Hours<\/p>\n “I have a lot of other projects anyway that I have a lot of passion about,” he said. “The GT3 racing. Not only racing it myself but also the team. It’s really nice and fun to build that. And I really want to build that out further in the coming years.<\/p>\n “It’s not like if I would stop here that I’m not going to do anything. I’m always going to have fun. And also I will have fun in a lot of other things in my life.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut it’s a bit sad to be honest that we’re even talking about this. It is what it is. You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I’ll be fine.”<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Alternatively, Verstappen could take a sabbatical from F1 for a year or two. ESPN has reported that this is something he is leaning more towards, rather than a full-blown retirement.\u00a0<\/p>\n This would allow Verstappen to reset, have a break, and assess the F1 landscape before potentially returning.\u00a0<\/p>\n He would not be the first driver to do this. Fellow world champions Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso <\/a>took temporary breaks from F1 before making comebacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not like Verstappen would be short of suitors if he wanted to return. Every team on the grid would be scrambling for his services.\u00a0<\/p>\n What about Mercedes?\u00a0<\/p>\n There is also the Mercedes <\/a>question. Mercedes has long been interested in signing Verstappen and publicly courted him after Lewis Hamilton<\/a>\u2019s switch to Ferrari<\/a> for 2025 was confirmed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Right now, Mercedes is in a great place. It is the dominant force in F1 again, with Kimi Antonelli <\/a>heading team-mate George Russell<\/a> at the top of the world championship standings after three rounds, all of which have been won by the Silver Arrows.<\/p>\n In theory, Mercedes has its driver line-up locked down for several years to come and there is no reason to make any changes.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Verstappen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/si202603290544.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Verstappen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/si202603250269_3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Verstappen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/si202603280033.jpg\")
<\/p>\n