Max Verstappen: “The next step of my career will be the last”

Max Verstappen continues to fuel rumors about his future in Formula 1. Despite an impressive track record and a place in one of the best teams on the grid, the Dutchman does not seem to want to stay in the sport forever and has announced several times that he could leave F1 at the end of his contract with Red Bull in 2028.

Despite this statement, the Red Bull driver insists that everything is still possible and that he could also consider extending his contract with the Austrian team. There are many uncertainties surrounding the future of the Dutch driver in Formula 1. Speculations suggest that he will end his career at Red Bull, while others send him to other teams.

Mercedes and Aston Martin interested in Verstappen

It is no secret that Mercedes is interested in Verstappen, to the point that rumors have emerged, announcing discussions between the former Toro Rosso driver and Toto Wolff, the head of the German team. The Austrian had indeed set his sights on the Dutchman when the Horner case shook the paddock, weakening the Austrian team. In addition, with Hamilton’s departure, Wolff wanted a driver capable of taking his place, which Verstappen could do. Nevertheless, the Mercedes boss explained that he had distanced himself from the Red Bull driver, especially since the announcement of Andrea Kimi Antonelli as a regular driver in the second Mercedes seat in 2025.

If the Mercedes track now seems closed, Aston Martin’s remains open. The British team has recently expressed interest in Verstappen, an interest conditioned by the arrival of Adrian Newey within the Silverstone-based team, which also has state-of-the-art facilities, including a wind tunnel that is set to open its doors on January 1st. Despite all these rumors, the Dutch driver made it clear to Sky Italia: “My next step, if there is one, will be my last. But it could also mean that I renew my current contract. Everything is still possible at this time.”

Verstappen does not consider his future in the long term.

The Dutchman does not want to make a hasty decision that he may ultimately regret, especially the one to leave Red Bull due to the team’s recent tough situation and the numerous challenges that await him in 2026 with new regulations and the Ford engine partnership. “You shouldn’t make decisions in the heat of the moment. It can always backfire on you. It’s also not something I’m thinking about right now, because there are so many things I want to improve on this year, and everything that comes in the future is still very far away,” he added. “It’s not a problem for now.” The Red Bull driver does not want to think about the future yet, given his battle for the championship with Lando Norris and McLaren this season.

A driver seeking above all stability.

Despite everything, the Dutch driver, who reportedly has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave Red Bull before 2028, prefers stability and has not ruled out the possibility of spending the rest of his career within the Red Bull family. A team that welcomed him in 2014 and with whom he has built a strong relationship. « I have been part of this team for a long time. In the end, every driver on the grid wants to win. It is very easy to change teams, but I don’t want my career to be marked in this way. I don’t want to be part of four or five different teams. “»

« I want to build a long and stable relationship with everyone on the team and I want to feel at home somewhere. Changing teams is not really my thing and it’s not something I want to do at this stage of my career », concluded the Dutchman, putting an end to speculation sending him to Mercedes or Aston Martin. Despite the difficulties encountered, Verstappen does not intend to leave Red Bull.

A rarity of stability in Formula 1, with drivers desperately seeking the team where they will have the best chance of winning, as seen with Alonso and Ricciardo, who have been part of numerous teams throughout their careers, which has sometimes worked against them.