F1 would be hit by '$100m loss' from Max Verstappen exit

Max Verstappen has been box office gold since he first burst onto the F1 scene, but his star power means a potential exit could hit the sport hard.

Whether it was his first win with Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, his nail-biting title fight with Lewis Hamilton in 2021 or his late resurgence last year, Verstappen has been the star character of F1's show the past decade.

Either as a villain or an underdog, Verstappen continues to divide F1 fans, but one aspect of his character cannot be denied. He's certainly entertaining.

Never one to hold out his tongue, his forthright interviews have, in 2026, been dominated by his dislike of the new cars, which he may have reached his breaking point over and is said to be 'seriously considering' retirement.

So what does the sport look like if Verstappen leaves F1? Besides losing one of the most talented drivers on the grid, Formula 1 also stands to lose a great deal of money.

F1 HEADLINES: Max Verstappen breaks silence as champion addresses exit talk

Verstappen exit could shave off $100million of F1's annual value

According to Rob Wilson, Professor of Applied Sport Finance at University Campus of Football Business in London, a Verstappen exit could cost F1 dearly.

"From an F1 perspective, Max isn’t just another F1 driver, he’s the defining athlete of the current era," Wilson explained via OLBG.

"His performances on the track have driven viewership, especially in key European markets where he has a massive following. He plays a major role in the sport’s narrative.

"F1 revenues themselves are about $3 billion [£2.2 billion] annually. That is driven by media rights and venue hosting fees. Verstappen materially contributes to that ecosystem because he influences audience demand and engagement in F1.

"At the top end, losing Verstappen would shave a few percentage points off global viewership and commercial appeal. A small impact on a multi-billion dollar business shaves off at least $100m [£75m] in annual value.

"That’s before you factor in star power and the glitter Verstappen puts in on the track, the stories and the narrative. That’s much harder to price but it’s hugely important, it would depend on additional rivalries that appear on track.

"With that being said, despite Verstappen being one of F1’s most important assets, where one leaves, another one will step in to replace him."

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