Reigning Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has said he is “past halfway, for sure” in his career ahead of a landmark race for the 26-year-old at the F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2024.
Red Bull’s Verstappen will reach 200 F1 races in Zandvoort on Sunday (2pm BST) and offered a disarmingly blunt response when he was asked whether he envisages competing in the sport another 200 times.
“No,” Verstappen replied with a smile. “Nice and easy. It’s already been an incredible ride.
“It doesn’t feel like 200 but we’re doing a lot of races now in a year, so they add up quite quickly.”
“I want to see the new regulations, if it’s fun or not” 🤔
Max on what it would take to stay in F1 beyond his 2028 contract with Red Bull 🗣 PIC.TWITTER.COM/CRLK4BYP9V
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) AUGUST 22, 2024
Verstappen Red Bull contract
Verstappen’s future at Red Bull, to whom he is contracted until 2028, has been a topic of persistent speculation this season.
“2028 is still very far away,” he said. “In my mind, at the moment, I’m not thinking about a new contract. I just want to see how it goes.
“There’s a lot of time to decide what happens. I just keep everything open. I’m quite easy-going about it.”
“Do you prefer Max Max Super Max or Du Du Du Max Verstappen?” 🎶
“Can you do it again?” 😆
Max on his fan songs! 🎤 PIC.TWITTER.COM/YCEZKLHWHV
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) AUGUST 22, 2024
Dutch Grand Prix 2024
Verstappen has won each of the last three editions of the Dutch Grand Prix, requiring one more victory to move level with Jim Clark, who took four races between 1963 and 1967, in the all-time records.
The Dutchman stands 78 points above McLaren’s Lando Norris at the top of the standings, although he has not finished on the podium in any of the last three races and has won one of the last six.
That triumph in Austria is his only victory since Verstappen won the first seven races of the season.
Max Verstappen has won all three Dutch Grands Prix since its return to the calendar in 2021#F1 #DutchGP PIC.TWITTER.COM/MR8EXNLRHI
— Formula 1 (@F1) AUGUST 22, 2024
F1 ‘dream’ for Verstappen
Looking back on his career, the three-time champion said his first ever F1 win, which came as an 18-year-old on his Red Bull debut in Spain in 2016, had been “very emotional”.
“You dream of being on the podium in F1 when you are a kid,” he added. “The top step is always special.
“Winning the championship, these kinds of things – they will always be something incredible that I will look back at.”
