Max Verstappen reveals potential off-season F1 injury risk

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Verstappen reveals potential off-season F1 injury risk

Red Bull might be nervous ahead of the three-time F1 champion's winter break

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Thursday 21 December 2023 18:57 Updated: 22:34

Max Verstappen has revealed that his winter break plans involve a skiing trip, as he joked over the possibility of picking up an injury and having to explain himself to Red Bull.

If anyone is deserving of some time away to rest and recharge their batteries after a long and gruelling F1 season, there is arguably none more so than Verstappen.

The Dutchman won an incredible 19 out of a possible 22 races, finishing with more than double the points of his nearest rival – Red Bull team-mate, Sergio Perez.

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Yet rather than put his feet up for a few weeks during the off-season, the 26-year-old has an action-packed alpine adventure to look forward to.

Max Verstappen was in a league of his own during the 2023 season

The three-time F1 champion claimed victory at every race apart from Jeddah, Baku and Singapore

And Christian Horner will be hoping to get his driver back in one piece after the winter break

Verstappen however is all too aware of the possibility of an awkward conversation with Red Bull should he pick up an injury while hitting the slopes.

Verstappen hoping to avoid skiing injury

“I’m still travelling quite a lot,” he told the Talking Bulls podcast when asked about his plans for the winter break.

“I have to go to a wedding of my brother-in-law in Brazil, so then I’ll spend Christmas there as well because otherwise I’m travelling back to Europe again.

“So I escape the cold, but then I go back to the cold, into the snow, because I haven’t been skiing in like five years.

“Hopefully I don’t need to call the team at the start of January [to tell them] that I broke a leg - I’ll try to be careful!

“Otherwise I need to do the old school driving [with one leg for both pedals].

“And then slowly, when you’re in January, you start training again," he concluded.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes McLaren Sergio Perez