Max Verstappen F1 EXIT timeline revealed as switch proposed

Max Verstappen

Verstappen F1 EXIT timeline revealed as switch proposed

Max Verstappen's contract with Red Bull expires in 2028

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 26 January 2025 20:56

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Red Bull champion Max Verstappen has been given a Formula 1 exit timeline by an axed driver.

The Dutchman’s path to a fourth world title was more difficult than it had been in previous years, with Red Bull having to contend with a resurgence from McLaren midway through the 2024 season.

F1 HEADLINES: 2025 absence confirmed as Verstappen 'DONE' at Red Bull

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Alongside the increased competitiveness of their rivals, Red Bull’s decline in performance also became a source of frustration for Verstappen.

Amid the team’s difficulties, rumours that the champion could make a shock team switch arose, with the likes of Mercedes and Aston Martin materialising as potential destinations for the 27-year-old.

Max Verstappen's 2024 season was far from dominant

When will Max Verstappen retire from F1?

When will Verstappen retire from F1?

Verstappen's contract with Red Bull expires in 2028, and despite speculation about an early exit, the champion has stated that he remains happy with the team.

However, former F1 star Kevin Magnussen does not believe that Verstappen will want to stay in the sport for as long as the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando, who are both in their 40s, and has mapped out a timeline for the Dutchman.

“I don’t see him continuing 10 years in F1,” Magnussen said to the Associated Press.

“He’s a proper racer, so he would do Daytona. Based on all the SIM racing he does and he already has a GT team.”

The Dane has recently competed in sports car championship, IMSA, for the 24 Hours of Daytona with BMW, where he made a subtle dig at F1 after switching to to endurance racing for 2025.

“I’m very much looking forward to going into something that I feel is real racing, if you want – not to take anything away from Formula 1, but for me, it’s kind of been- there are Formula 1 drivers and then there are racing drivers. And I’ve always felt like a racing driver – also a Formula 1 driver, but very much a racing driver,” Magnussen said ahead of the 24 Hours of Daytona to The Race.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes McLaren Formula 1 Aston Martin