Max Verstappen is a four-time F1 World Champion and widely considered the greatest Formula 1 driver ever in the eyes of many fans, racers, and pundits.
Following a difficult start for Red Bull Racing in the first half of the 2025 season, the Dutchman narrowed the gap between himself and the Championship leader from 104 points to 2, losing out to McLaren's Lando Norris in Abu Dhabi by a whisker.
It was a phenomenal comeback, and even though Verstappen finished second in the Drivers' Championship standings, the season only further cemented his incredible legacy.
Talking to Blick, Verstappen admitted that he's heading into the 2026 season—which has seen sweeping regulation changes—unsure of what to expect.
"None of us have any idea about the new car, the engine," he explained. "I think we'll spend more time in the garages than on the track during the first tests starting on January 26th in Barcelona. Hopefully, we'll all be wiser after the two February tests in Bahrain."
This year, Verstappen has a new teammate in former Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar. "After a fantastic first season with Racing Bulls, he deserves a chance at Red Bull," Verstappen told the site. "And since the new regulations are sure to bring surprises, perhaps some new names will appear at the front."
Reflecting on how McLaren secured both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championship, the Red Bull driver was asked about Papaya Rules and Oscar Piastri receiving team orders that would ultimately benefit Norris's championship charge. Unsurprisingly, Verstappen confirmed that he would not have obliged so willingly.
"Certainly not. If you do that even once without a clear reason, you've sold your soul," he stated. "The team can then do whatever they want with you. And let's not forget: Piastri was right in the middle of the title fight." Vestappen added that he believes his previous comments about winning the title much sooner than Abu Dhabi had he been in the McLaren car are still "true."
Looking even further into the future than this season, Verstappen pointed out that, "After more than 230 races, my goal certainly isn't to chase seven world championship titles." Why? "There's nothing more important to me than my family and children," he shared. "They are the motivation you can only get at home."
Verstappen added, "I'm 28 now and have a contract with Red Bull until 2028. I intend to fulfill it. At this point, I'm ruling out a team change. It's a shame that I won't have my friend and mentor Helmut Marko by my side in 2026. I'll miss him. At 40, I might still be standing in the pits as a team principal in another series."
There's still plenty of time for Verstappen to win multiple Championships before he decides to call it quits on his F1 career. Much will depend on how successful Red Bull's new partnership with Ford is, and whether Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff can sway him into finally jumping ship...