Verstappen reveals F1 retirement information: ‘I’m already missing out on too much’

"People sometimes hang around maybe to create more money, but at the end of the day, that doesn’t come first," Verstappen shared candidly during a conversation with The Athletic.

For the Dutchman, it is much more important that he races out of intrinsic motivation. "It’s important you’re here because of the hunger to win."

Verstappen also knows all too well that not everyone on the grid is cut out to win: "Some people come here to just get the best out of their car because some don’t have a winning car. But that’s why I think: as long as I can do that, and I’m working with the people that I enjoy working with, then, yeah, we’ll drive."

When will he retire? The four-time world champion doesn't dare to say it yet: “I don’t know when that will stop. Is that 32? Is that 35? 36? I don’t know. It’s impossible to know.”

However, winning is not the only factor important to the now 27-year-old driver. His family is also a significant reason to hang up his helmet in the future: "I feel like I’m already missing out so much on just being with my family."

With this, he did not only refer to his own little family, but also his parents, friends and his (half) brothers and sisters. While he spends the holidays with them, he also misses the moments from 'normal' life.

"I really miss the moments of just casually rocking up for a weekend or just hanging out on the couch, sitting together on a lazy day, or just after a normal work day," said Verstappen, with the distance making these kinds of things very difficult.