--- title: "Max Verstappen Has No ‘Desire to Win Eight or Nine F1 Titles’" description: "By the time Verstappen's contract expires, he'll have spent nearly half his life racing in F1 and will be ready to take the next step." date: "2024-11-21" modified: "2024-11-21" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/max-verstappen-has-no-desire-to-win-eight-or-nine-f1-titles" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Max Verstappen Has No ‘Desire to Win Eight or Nine F1 Titles’ ![Max Verstappen]() *\HRC\* Should things go his way, Max Verstappen will become a four-time [Formula 1]() champion on Sunday—equalling his [Red Bull Racing]() colleague Sebastian Vettel, who also won four back-to-back titles with the Milton Keynes squad. However, as the Dutch racer told *The Drive* during a recent [special test organized by Honda]() in Las Vegas, he's not too interested in racking up more titles, let alone proving himself. "We've already won a lot in F1, so it's not like I have to sneak around to prove myself; I don't have this desire to win eight or nine titles, Verstappen told me. "I'm very happy with what I'm doing now and I know that once I sit in the car I will be the very best. "It's not about the number of championships," he added. "Of course, at the moment I have a contract until 2028—I'll be 31 years old at the end of it, which of course, it's still very young, but I also started when I was 17 so it's a long time to be in Formula 1." Verstappen's statistic of winning three drivers' championships in his first nine years in F1 is mind-blowing—and even more so once he clinches a fourth one by the end of his 10th season. But as he clearly stated, by the time his current contract comes to an end, he'll have spent nearly half of his life racing in F1. ![SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 3: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates his win on the podium during qualifying during the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 3, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)]() *Vince Mignott/MB Media* Currently, the F1 season spans a record 24 races, and teams spend upwards of 250 nights a year in hotels across the world, all while marketing-obsessed Liberty Media piles on [more PR and marketing days for teams and drivers](). As a result, the Red Bull star knows that the time will come to step away from F1, though that likely won't mean retiring from racing in general. "Honestly, for me, \[how long I stay in F1\] also depends on how the new cars will be to drive from 2026 onwards," added Verstappen. "Are they enjoyable to drive, the amount of races, and how much time I will be away from home? It's very demanding. And it doesn't matter if you are very successful or not, to me that doesn't matter. "I want to do other stuff, do less races, maybe endurance—maybe the races are more intense because they're 24 hours but you have more free time for most of the year. It's more relaxed and you can enjoy a bit more of life," he added. When asked specifically about which other races he'd like to conquer, Verstappen mentioned Le Mans and the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The one-off test organized by Honda [afforded him a stint in the Daytona-winning Acura ARX-06 GTP prototype](), so now he's had a taste of what that might be like. "At the moment Le Mans is very hard to combine with F1. Especially with everything being more and more competitive, you can't divide your time between GTP \[IMSA\] or Le Mans. At least for me, when I compete I need to be well-prepared," said Verstappen. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()