--- title: "Max Verstappen Is Considering Retiring From F1 at End of 2026" date: "2026-03-29" modified: "2026-03-29" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/max-verstappen-is-considering-retiring-from-f1-at-end-of-2026" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Max Verstappen Is Considering Retiring From F1 at End of 2026 ![Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing competes during the Formula 1 Japan Suzuka race at the Suzuka Formula 1 circuit in Suzuka, Japan, on March 29, 2025. (Photo by Marcel van Dorst/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto via Getty Images)]() *\NurPhoto via Getty\* Four-time [Formula 1]() World Champion [Max Verstappen]() dropped a big hint about what his not-so-distant future may look like, given the current state of F1 racing. During this weekend's [Japanese Grand Prix](), he told the media that he was "not enjoying the whole formula." When asked by *[BBC Sport]()* if that meant he was "going to walk away at the end of the season," Verstappen responded with: "That's what I'm saying. I'm thinking about everything inside this paddock." This comes as a big shock, as Verstappen is still in his prime and is arguably one of the best, if not the best, active F1 drivers. And while he previously told me during a 2024 interview that he has ["no interest in winning eight or nine world championships"]()—and that he'd rather do endurance racing later on—he's never actually shared a timeline for when he might drop out of F1. ![Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing competes during the Formula 1 Japan Suzuka race at the Suzuka Formula 1 circuit in Suzuka, Japan, on March 29, 2025. (Photo by Marcel van Dorst/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto via Getty Images)]() **NurPhoto via Getty** The fact that *BBC Sport* specified "end of the \['26\] season" in its question to Verstappen, and that he did not refute it, is a *big deal.* Verstappen, who is managed by two mastermind influencers (not the social media kind), Raymond Vermulen and father Jos, is likely dropping these bits to the media as a way to put pressure on F1, the FIA, and all the teams to amend the 2026 rules. Or, at the very least, come to a sort of consensus to get rid of the "Mario Kart mushroom effect," as Verstappen and others have come to call the battery harvesting procedures. F1 would lose a lot of marketability and clout without Verstappen, and the F1 champ knows it. Just like he knows he could take his millions of fans to another series, as well as their wallets and eyeballs (ticket/merch sales, and TV ratings). Verstappen is the kind of guy who likes to have fun, enjoy life, enjoy his family, and enjoy all the money he's earned. No one should ever take him or any "threat" of his lightly. *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]()