Is Verstappen retiring from Formula 1?
- therookiereporters
- 8 minutes ago
- 2 min read
As Verstappen continues in his eleventh season in Formula 1 with four world titles to his name, how much longer does he have left in the sport?
With plenty of changes to the regulations for the 2026 season as the sport moves into a 50/50 split between an internal combustion engine and electrical components, the drivers are feeling the difference. A man who has expressed his concerns with the regulations is the four time World Champion Max Verstappen saying he doesn't enjoy driving the Formula 1 2026 car, describing it to feel like “Formula E on steroids.”
The four time World Champion has a range of impressive statistics to his name including 71 Grand Prix wins and 48 pole positions, ranking fifth in all time for most pole positions. Recently however, fans have begun speculating that his enjoyment for the sport he once dominated has begun dwindling due to Red Bull’s poor performance. Whilst this hasn’t been confirmed, what has always been clear is Verstappen’s passion for motorsport which spans back to his youth. Whether P7 or P8 finishes are impacting this passion for Formula 1 racing is a real possibility with the Dutchman having recently taken part in GT3
In September of 2025, Verstappen made his debut in GT3, winning his first 4 hour race at Nordschleife, which is nicknamed “the Green Hell,” in the #31 Ferrari 296 alongside Chris Lulham entered by Emil Frey Racing, finishing 25 seconds ahead of the #9 Ford Mustang. For the 2026 season, he has already claimed one win in the NLS2 race, however a couple of hours later, this was followed by a disqualification due to the use of an extra set of tyres. The teams were permitted to use only six sets, however Verstappen's team used seven, ultimately leading to their disqualification. But he also has a lot more planned, including during the short break between Miami and Canada where he is also set to make his debut in the Nurburgring 24 hours race in May, an event which he has mentioned to be on his bucket list for a long time.
Will Verstappen make the move away from Formula 1 and more towards Endurance Racing at the end of the 2026 season?
Article written by Skyla Crook
