Horner: “As soon as the fun goes down, Verstappen will leave F1”

— Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen has the strength and character to leave Formula 1 if he stops enjoying it, emphasizing that the Dutchman’s future in the sport hinges on his passion for racing.

“Honestly Max is a man in his own right, and from the conversations I had it is clear that he does not see himself as Fernando or Lewis and that he will remain in this sport for the next 15 years or so,” Horner said.

“He has interests outside of F1, he likes to drive GT cars, driving simulators, LMP cars, and there are some things that for many aspects belong to him.”

— Verstappen, whose current contract with Red Bull expires in 2028, has repeatedly voiced his disinterest in remaining in F1 until his 40s, unlike drivers like Hamilton or Alonso. He has also criticized certain elements of the sport, such as Sprint races, city circuits, and other administrative decisions.

“Some of the noises of the circus surrounding F1 don’t appeal to him, and as long as he has fun with what he does, he will,” Horner added.

“As soon as the fun goes down, he has the strength of character and personality to say: ‘You know what, next year I’m going to drive the GT’. It’s unique, because Formula 1 doesn’t define him. He has fun and loves it, but as soon as the fun goes down, he goes to do something else.”

— Horner expressed gratitude for Verstappen’s commitment to Red Bull but acknowledged that predicting the future beyond 2028 is impossible:

“We are very grateful that he is our pilot and we hope he will stay that way for many years to come, at least until 2028, but no one has the crystal ball.”

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VIA: [formulapassion]