Verstappen considers quitting Formula 1 sooner because of daughter Lily

As a young boy, Verstappen himself struggled whenever his father Jos left for Formula 1 races. Now, as a father, he notices that his daughter is also beginning to understand when he goes away. That is why, for the time being, he tries to make his departures as inconspicuous as possible. “I can already see that my daughter is starting to notice when I leave,” Verstappen explained to De Telegraaf.

"So even now I try to do it when she doesn’t realize. That will also be a consideration later when it comes to my future. I don’t want to be away all the time; I want to see my own children grow up," he continued.

"Because once they turn eighteen, there’s a chance they’ll say ‘bye’ and close the door behind them."

His family life is not the only factor in the consideration of his future. The new technical regulations also made Verstappen question his future earlier this season. The four-time world champion revealed when announcing his contract extension that earlier this year he had already been closer to quitting than switching to another team.

“I was genuinely close to it. Especially during the first weekends of this season. I had never felt that way before,” the 29-year-old revealed.

“The sport did listen to us to some extent. Changes are coming in the next few years, with a slightly more important role for the internal combustion engine. On top of that, I’m really enjoying myself at Red Bull. With the people I work with and the way we operate as a team. It obviously helps that you’ve already achieved a lot,” he continued, referring to the four F1 world titles and the 72 victories he has achieved with the Austrian outfit.

"You can put things into perspective more easily when you’ve achieved that, compared with when you still have to prove yourself to everyone," Verstappen said.

However, he doesn't think fatherhood has changed him in that regard. "I don’t think so, at least not when it comes to putting a race result into perspective. In other ways, of course, it has had a major influence. After a race, I now almost always try to go straight home on Sunday evening, so I can spend as much time at home as possible."

Verstappen stresses that on-track performance remains his top priority. At the same time, he places great value on the environment in which he works. For him, the trust he has in Red Bull therefore goes beyond mere results on the track.

“The result comes first. That is the most important thing. But you also need to feel comfortable and appreciated. And that really is the case. The outlook for the future is positive too,” he continued.