At the dawn of a possible fourth world title in F1, Max Verstappen has once again expressed his great interest in endurance. Just a few hours after testing an Acura ARX-06 GTP usually running in IMSA, the Red Bull driver knows that one day he will race in this Championship, but before that, he will have to draw a line under F1.
“For now, I have a contract until [2028]”, he declared, speaking to Road & Track. “I will be 31 years old at the end of this contract. Of course, it’s still very young, but I started when I was 17.”
“For me it depends on how the new cars will be driven from 26 onwards. Are they pleasant to drive? The number of races, the number of hours spent away from home. It’s demanding.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you are very successful or not. For me it doesn't matter. Of course, we have already won a lot in Formula 1.”
“For me, it’s not that I have to stay and try to prove myself. I don’t want to win eight or nine titles.”
“So I’m very open-minded right now. I'm like, 'Let's see, let's wait until the real car is there, how it drives, and let's go from there.'
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Max Verstappen therefore sees himself hanging up his F1 gloves to put on those of endurance. A lighter calendar and equally prestigious races make the Batavian driver happy.
“I also want to do other things and, at some point, I also want to do less shopping”he said. “Naturally when you're in an endurance championship it's a little less.”
“The only race [Le Mans] is more intense, since it lasts 24 hours, but you have more free time, you can plan your schedule a little more.”
“For most of the year, every week, you know exactly what you're doing. Maybe it’s a little more relaxed, and maybe you can enjoy life outside of racing a little more.”
“This is not a teaser [un départ en 2025 à Daytona] or anything else,” he said after his test. “I know I want to do it in the future anyway. It’s just about finding the time.”
“With such a busy F1 calendar, it's almost impossible because we finish so late in the season. Preparing properly before going to Daytona is practically impossible. I know when I want to do it, I want to go out there and try to win, to be really competitive.”
“The only way to do this is to try out and prepare properly. Which isn't possible at the moment, but who knows? Maybe in a few years. I will still be young – quite young – and I will still be able to drive”, concluded the reigning World Champion.
Also read: Max Verstappen drives an Acura ARX-06 GTP for the first time
