Max Verstappen will quit F1 THIS YEAR, claims former Red Bull mechanic with Dutch driver chasing record held by Michael Schumacher
Max Verstappen will quit Formula One after winning a fifth consecutive Drivers championship title, a former Red Bull mechanic has claimed.
Verstappen is looking to match Michael Schumacher 's record of a fifth title in a row, though he faces an uphill task trying to make up the ground to McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Despite holding on to beat Norris to the crown last year, Piastri has been the quickest on the grid for much of the 2025 season, and leads the standings by 10 points from his team-mate, and is 49 clear of Verstappen
Verstappen is on a £60m annual retainer at Red Bull until 2028, though there are opt-out clauses, and has told the team he wants to stay at least for next year. However incoming regulation changes mean he may wait to see how Red Bull adapts before making a decision on his future.
Mail Sport has previously reported he could potentially move in 2027, with Mercedes and Aston Martin possible refuges, but sources close to Verstappen indicate that if the 27-year-old were to jump ship he would only do so once in his career.
However, he has now been backed to fight back and snatch the championship this year by a former member of the Red Bull pit crew - before quitting the sport entirely.
Former Red Bull mechanic Calum Nicholas was asked on Lucas Stewart's YouTube channel how many titles Verstappen would win, when he responded: 'Five. I think Max is going to win the Drivers' this year, and then I think he's going to call it a day.'
Nicolas insisted, however, that he did not have any information about the Dutch driver's plans for the rest of his career.
Verstappen lost even more ground in his latest outing, after dropping from P5 to P10 following a penalty for ramming his car into Mercedes' George Russell's car at the Spanish Grand Prix, and now trails Piastri by 49 points.
But Nicholas remained adamant that the Red Bull star should always remain the favourite despite what the standings say.
'To not back Max is just like lunacy, I think. The guy is just really really good.
'Not in terms of just his technical skill and his talent, but I've watched Max grow into this guy that can do everything.
'He does everything well now.'
Verstappen became a father for the first time earlier this season, as he and girlfriend Kelly Piquet welcomed Lily into the world in May.
The F1 star announced the birth alongside an Instagram post, writing: 'Welcome to the world, sweet Lily. Our hearts are fuller than ever - you are our greatest gift. We love you so much.'
While Lily is Max's first child, model Piquet, 36, already has a daughter, Penelope, born in 2019, from her previous relationship with Formula One driver Daniil Kvyat, 30.
Verstappen will join Nico Hulkenberg as the only drivers with children on the F1 grid.
Asked if he had any advice for Verstappen as a new parent, the Kick Sauber driver responded: 'I hope it's a good sleeper.'
Meanwhile, his rivals banished any suggestions that he will be any less competitive following his daughter's birth.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton said: 'I just wish him all the best. It's such an amazing, special thing. I spoke to him briefly in Saudi and saw how excited he was. Big congrats to him.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
ATP roundup: Arthur Rinderknech upsets Denis Shapovalov in Stuttgart
June 11 - Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech knocked off Canada's Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 in Stuttgart on Tuesday at the BOSS Open in Stuttgart, Germany. The ATP No. 30, seeded fifth in the event, was undone by nine double faults and nine aces by his opponent. Rinderknech added 15 first-return points and 17 second-return points in prevailing in one hour, 43 minutes. The only seeded winner Tuesday was the No. 7 seed, American Alex Michelsen, who downed France's Gael Monfils 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. Other winners included Germany's Justin Engel, Italy's Marton Fucsovics, France's Quentin Halys, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Corentin Moutet as well as American Learner Tien. Libema Open Americans Mackenzie McDonald and Reilly Opelka each earned three-set victories in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. McDonald cruised past Italy's Mattia Bellucci 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, while Opelka rallied to defeat the Netherlands' own Jesper de Jon 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-2. Also on Tuesday, Finland's Otto Virtanen defeated Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (6), 7-5, and in a battle of Belgium, Zizou Bergs downed Alexander Blockx 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (3). --Field Level Media
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Twix ad banned in UK for encouraging unsafe driving
A TV ad for chocolate bar Twix has been banned for encouraging unsafe advert shows a man with flowing hair involved in a car chase and crash that results in his and an identical, caramel-coloured car sandwiched on top of each other, like a complaints issued against the advert said it encouraged dangerous driving and was who own Twix, argued that the ad had a "cinematic presentation" and was set in a "world that was absurd, fantastical and removed from reality", which Clearcast, the non-governmental organisation that approves adverts before broadcast, echoed. But the watchdog the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the ad "must not appear again" in its current form because it "condoned unsafe driving".While the ASA acknowledged that the stunt performed highlighted the fantastical nature of the advert, it took issue with the first half of the video that showed driving "that appeared likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code".It said there was an "emphasis on speed" including with "fast paced beat and music" in the car chase, noting the "visible skid marks" left on the defended the advert, saying "the cars were shot driving at lawful speeds and any emulation would only reflect the legal and safe driving presented".The sweet giant, who also own M&Ms, Celebrations and Maltesers, added that Twix is known for its absurd and playful humour, which was reflected in the final scene shows a Twix bar falling through the sunroofs of the two cars, before they drive off - still attached - and with the tagline "two is more than one".For its part, Clearcast told the ASA that the style of the video made it clear it wasn't meant to be emulated nor did it suggest "safe driving was boring."In the ASA's ruling, it said it told Mars "not to condone or encourage irresponsible driving that was likely to breach the legal requirements of the Highway Code in their ads."
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
WTA roundup: Rebecca Sramkova stuns Barbora Krejcikova in London
June 11 - Solovakia's Rebecca Sramkova won 78.1 percent of her first-serve points while posting a 6-4, 6-3 upset of No. 7 seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic in the first round of the HSBC Championships in London on Tuesday. Sramkova's solid win at the Queen's Club earns her a match against wild card Emma Raducanu of Great Britain. Raducanu converted 4 of 5 break points in her 6-1, 6-2 victory over Spanish qualifier Cristian Bucsa. No. 5 Russian Diana Shnaider rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Magdalena Frech of Poland, and No. 6 Czech Karolina Muchova beat Australia's Maddison Inglis 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4. McCartney Kessler beat Brit Francesca Jones 6-2, 6-4 while Brits Katie Boulter and Heather Watson also notched victories. Libema Open Bernarda Pera converted 7 of 11 break points while outlasting fourth-seeded Magda Linette of Poland 6-2, 6-7 (10), 7-5 in the first round in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. Ann Li upset No. 5 Anastasia Potopova of Russia 7-5, 6-2, and Australia's Kimberly Birrell took down No. 6 Wang Xinyu of China 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-1. No. 2 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Miriam Bolkvadze of Georgia. Greet Minnen of Belgium stunned Danielle Collins 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, Canada's Bianca Andreescu defeated Joanna Garland of Chinese Taipei 6-1, 6-3, and Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands was a 6-3, 0-6, 6-3 winner over Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium. --Field Level Media
