'It's better to quit': Will Max Verstappen take F1 icon's advice?

Max Verstappen

'It's better to quit': Will Max Verstappen take F1 icon's advice?

Verstappen is at odds with the sport after a miserable 2026 so far

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Saturday 28 March 2026 20:55

F1 great Max Verstappen quitting the sport at the peak of his powers seems the wildest of notions, but it seems to become more possible with every passing day.

The 28-year-old Dutchman has already claimed four world titles in a glorious career to date, but a fifth looks to be light years away right now.

Verstappen is struggling mightily with an under-performing 2026 Red Bull car, while the new regulations sweeping into F1 have left him frustrated and angry. ‘Formula E on steroids’ as he put it during pre-season testing.

Article continues under video

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen humiliated as Hamilton issued FIA warning

Verstappen hits a new low in Japan

On Saturday Max hit a new low as he failed to even make it into Q3 at the Japanese Grand Prix, and afterwards he was predictably downcast.

“The worst part is that I’m not even angry anymore; I’ve long moved past that. That’s just not right," he told Viaplay afterwards.

The mood in the Verstappen camp is clearly gloomy, the new regs are here to stay and Red Bull are a country mile behind Mercedes when it comes to pace.

Dad Jos reveals his biggest fear

On Friday Max’s dad Jos - himself a former F1 star - spoke of his fears that his son could soon be lost to the sport.

He told respected Dutch outlet De Telegraaf: "Together with Red Bull, he is doing everything he can to become more competitive. But racing in these cars does not challenge him.

“To be honest, I am afraid that Max will lose his motivation. He used to think racing in a Formula 1 car was the best thing there was, but now I am quite pessimistic. I would like to say that it wasn't the case, but I do see this becoming a problem with an eye on his future."

It was against that backdrop another former F1 star - German icon Heinz-Harald Frentzen - took to social media to provide some very salient advice for any driver like Verstappen who might be questioning their future in the sport.

Writing on X, Frentzen, runner-up in the 1997 World Drivers' Championship, said: “If you lose your motivation in F1, it's better to quit, or at least take a break. That's what I did.

“The sport is too dangerous if you lose your focus.”

That message clearly resonated, with 1996 world champion Damon Hill responding simply with: “Wise words”.

Verstappen’s future is now the subject of daily speculation, and he has been strongly linked with a potential move to Mercedes. A change which would instantly put him back at the front of the grid.

That door though appears now to be closed with Silver Arrows team principal Toto Wolff saying this weekend that there is no immediate plan to sign Verstappen, and he is happy with the current driver lineup of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Mercedes 2026 regulations Japanese Grand Prix