“I don’t see him being Fernando Alonso,” Christian Horner gives major insight into Max Verstappen’s F1 future
Max Verstappen will most likely stay with Red Bull for the next six seasons, till the end of 2028.
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Max Verstappen and Christian Horner. Images via Sports Illustrated and LinkedIn.
Max Verstappen, the Red Bull star, has a contract with the team till the end of 2028. He often hinted that he might not stay in Formula 1 beyond that. Verstappen expressed his interest in pursuing a career outside F1 as well. His priority is racing, and he could participate in other racing series after his Red Bull tenure. Verstappen recently revealed he is not a fan of the new F1 sprint race format. It could make him walk away from the sport early if he no longer enjoys it.
Many Formula 1 drivers race in their 40s. The best example would be the 41-year-old Fernando Alonso, who is driving for Aston Martin. Despite his age, he is one of the best drivers on the grid. Kimi Raikkonen, who retired in 2021, also raced in his 40s. However, Max Verstappen will not be one among them. Christian Horner revealed details about Verstappen’s future in Formula 1.
The Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports F1, “Max is his own man and he’s very, very strong in his opinions and on his outlook on what he wants to do in his life. And I don’t see him being a Fernando Alonso and still racing at 41 or 42 years of age, or maybe not in Formula 1, but what his love and passion are, is racing.”
Related: Can F1 drivers talk to each other while racing?
Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen will continue racing in F1 as long as he has the fire within him
Horner further added, “If he’s not racing on the track at the moment, he’s racing in the virtual world, he’s driving GT cars for fun, and his passion is just driving and racing, and while that burns within him, he’s going to keep going. But how long that burns for, that’s each individual’s own journey, they’ve got to find that out for themselves.”
Max Verstappen had previously stated that he achieved everything he wanted in Formula 1. The Dutchman will be 31 years old when his contract with Red Bull expires. Though it is still a young age, Verstappen wants to do different things in life. He also wants to stay closer to his family and friends, but the hectic F1 schedule prevents him from doing so.
Max Verstappen often stated his dream was to become a world champion. The 25-year-old now holds two F1 world titles. However, it is safe to say Verstappen is not going anywhere for now. He is most likely to win more championships. The 2023 season started strong for the Milton Keynes team. And Verstappen is leading the championship title by 15 points ahead of his teammate, Sergio Perez.
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Sugantha Meena
(493 Articles Published)