Ex-Red Bull Man Makes Bold Prediction over Max Verstappen’s F1 Retirement Call

Former Red Bull F1 mechanic Calum Nicholas reckoned that Max Verstappen would soon bid farewell to the pinnacle of motorsport.

Ex-Red Bull Man Makes Bold Prediction over Max Verstappen’s F1 Retirement Call

Max Verstappen (image via XPB images)

Max Verstappen is an old school racer. The Red Bull star is simply concerned with winning in Formula 1, without focusing much on off-track activities. Over the years, Verstappen has achieved immense success at the pinnacle of motorsport. Now, former Red Bull mechanic, Calum Nicholas has hinted that the Dutch driver might soon call it quits in F1.

The 27-year-old had one goal in Formula 1, to become the world champion. Max Verstappen succeeded in accomplishing this goal after winning the controversial 2021 title against Lewis Hamilton. The Dutchman made it clear that every other title victory from that point was just going to be a bonus. Moreover, the Red Bull star has shattered several records over the course of his career.

On the other hand, Verstappen has always hinted that he does not want to race in F1 for too long. At 27, the Dutchman has plenty of years left in his racing career to try other categories. Though, Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull Racing till the end of 2028. The Dutch driver has often expressed his interest in running a racing team following his exit from F1 in the future.

Calum Nicholas hinted that Max Verstappen might decide to bid farewell to Formula 1 entirely if he won another world title. Though, the former Red Bull mechanic insisted that he has no insider information over such a possibility.

Five, I think Max is going to win this year, and then I think he’s going to call it a day. I definitely don’t know anything.

Calum Nicholas said on Lucas Stewart’s YouTube channel

Red Bull has no ‘major’ upgrades for Max Verstappen in 2025

Max Verstappen and Red Bull have been on the backfoot since the start of the 2025 season. Milton Keynes seems to have no answer to McLaren’s pace this year, with Verstappen only winning two races so far. The Austrian giant needs to improve its pace to give its star driver any hopes of defending the world champion.

Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko (via Red Bull)
Max Verstappen and Helmut Marko (via Red Bull)

Red Bull Motorsport Consultant Dr. Helmut Marko gave a reality check to the team’s situation. The 81-year-old recognized that the team must make improvements to stay in the championship battle. Unfortunately, Marko confessed that Red Bull had no major upgrades in the pipeline for the RB21. Since the team needs to shift it’s full focus on the 2026 regulation shake-up soon.

We’re working tirelessly on this and will continue to make small adjustments, but nothing major is planned. We’ve had some major updates in the past, such as a new underbody and new side-pods. But now it’s more about the details. We’ll continue developing as long as there’s a chance in the world championship. After that, the focus will shift entirely to the 2026 project.

Helmut Marko wrote for Speedweek

Max Verstappen races in Formula 1 since he enjoys it. The Dutch driver will not think twice about hanging his racing gloves if he does not feel excited to race. Seeing the current state of Red Bull, Verstappen might become disinterested and plan something else. However, so far, the four-time world champion remains committed to the Austrian team at the pinnacle of motorsport.

Read More: “You Can’t Stop Him,” Ralf Schumacher Warns Red Bull over Max Verstappen’s Rumored Exit