With a move to Mercedes seemingly off the cards, Verstappen is now well-placed to remain at Red Bull until the end of his contract in 2028. It has been speculated that the four-time world champion could then retire, provided he is content with his achievements in F1, instead pursuing a new career in endurance racing.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has appeared to rule out a move to sign Max Verstappen for 2026, as he reiterated his desire to retain the team’s current Formula 1 line-up. There have been widespread reports that Verstappen could be Mercedes-bound since George Russell divulged that the two parties are engaged in active discussions.

With a move to Mercedes now seemingly on the back burner, Verstappen spoke about when he plans to retire. The Dutchman admitted last year to SPORTbible that he had achieved everything he wanted to in F1 and stated his intentions to try other forms of racing.