Despite the initial difficulties faced by Red Bull this season, Verstappen achieved victories in both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. Sky Sports F1 specialist Martin Brundle has provided insights into the signs that may indicate when Max Verstappen could consider retiring from Formula 1. Verstappen himself has hinted at the possibility of an earlier retirement than expected, expressing no interest in emulating Lewis Hamilton’s long career in the sport, which has seen him compete at a high level well into his late thirties.
Despite the challenges faced by Red Bull at the start of the season, Verstappen managed to secure wins in both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. His early performance suggested that he was on track to secure his fourth consecutive world championship with the powerful RB20 car. However, a surprising turn of events at the Australian Grand Prix saw Verstappen retire from a race for the first time in two years due to a brake issue that caused his car to catch fire. Verstappen expressed his frustration over the team radio, stating: “I lost the car, really strange!” This setback forced him to retire from the race amidst smoke billowing from his car.
Verstappen’s disappointment was evident as he had to abandon the race, resulting in the loss of crucial points in the championship race. His visible frustration was apparent when he described the situation as “So foolish!” to one of his engineers. This incident halted his ambition to match his record of 10 consecutive race wins. However, Brundle sees Verstappen’s frustration as a sign of his intense passion and competitiveness, qualities that are highly valued by Red Bull.
In his analysis for Sky Sports, Brundle noted: “Despite his impressive string of successes, Verstappen was initially very angry about his car’s failure. When the adrenaline subsides, he has become adept at managing these moods, but if he ever loses that fiery passion in the heat of the moment, it will be a sign that he is preparing for retirement.” This passion, particularly considering the lack of strong competition in recent seasons, reassures Red Bull of Verstappen’s continued dedication to excel in the sport.