Red Bull chief names three key factors in Max Verstappen retirement decision

Helmut Marko has revealed that the lack of downtime outside of F1 caused by media appearances, fitness requirements and the simulator time needed ahead of a race weekend will be contributing factors in deciding when Max Verstappen retires from the sport.

The Dutchman is currently a cut above the rest of the competition in F1, heading into the 2023 summer break with eight consecutive wins under his belt, Sebastian Vettel’s nine-in-a-row record in his sights and an iron grip on what looks set to be his third successive world title.

With two Drivers’ Championships, 45 race wins and 89 podiums already to his name in the space of a mere 175 Grand Prix starts, Verstappen’s reputation as one of the fastest drivers in F1 history is already cemented, and given the pace of the RB19, he’ll make further inroads into the records of Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher in the coming years.

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Despite this, popular opinion dictates that it is unlikely Verstappen’s F1 career will span into his late 30s and early 40s. Speaking to RacingNews365, Red Bull’s advisor explained: “I don’t think he’s a type that will last for long like Alonso, for example. One day he will say, ‘this is it’, when he is no longer having fun or the pressure is gone.

“What we sometimes forget is that Max has to spend a day in the simulator before every race. He has already fewer marketing obligations, but there are still a few days left. He has to maintain his fitness level. This leaves relatively little time for free time.”

When Verstappen does call time on his F1 career it is highly likely that the Dutch driver will migrate to another racing series.

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The 25-year-old spends plenty of his limited spare time in his home simulator competing in online endurance races, so a shot at completing two-thirds of motorsport’s ‘Triple Crown’ in the 24 Hours of Le Mans seems possible.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Verstappen will go all the way and join Graham Hill as only the second driver ever to complete the ‘Triple Crown’ achievement. 

The Dutch driver responded earlier this year to calls pushing him to compete in the Indy500 by replying: “No, I respect them a lot. I have some friends of mine doing it, but not at the moment, no.”

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