After reaching 200 GPs, Max Verstappen doesn't see himself doing the same again

This Dutch Grand Prix was doubly special for Max Verstappen. First of all because it is his national meeting. If he was not able to celebrate a 62nd career victory in front of his family, Super Max was delighted with a 2nd place far behind a Lando Norris untouchable during the weekend. 

Then, because this 2024 edition of his race allowed him to reach the symbolic bar of 200 starts. Among the 776 drivers to have participated in at least one Grand Prix, he is only the 23rd to have at least two hundred. It is still far from Fernando Alonso and his 393 GPs (to date), but at 26 years old the triple world champion is already part of a club that is, to say the least, closed. 

“We do so much” 

In Zandvoort, the pilot Red Bull was thus invited to retrace his journey, selecting some of his highlights, but also to look ahead to the future. And therefore to aim for 200 new Grands Prix? “ No, answered-he with a smile. It's that simple. We have passed the halfway point of my career in F1, that's for sure. It’s already been an incredible journey. I don't realize I've already done 200 races, but we do so many each year that it adds up quickly »

TC: “Race No. 200 for you in F1 and you're still only 26. Do you see yourself here in another 200 races?”

Max: “No…we’ve passed halfway for sure” #F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/olZhNr5Lh5

- Formula 1 (@ F1) August 22, 2024

With this declaration, Max Verstappen makes it known that he does not intend to stay in F1 forever like a Lewis Hamilton, a Kimi Räikkönen or even a Rubens Barrichello, capped more than 300 times. Under contract with the energy drink until 2028, is the Dutchman opening the door to the end of his career at the end of it? This cannot be ruled out, especially since the person concerned has already made it known in the past that he did not have the ambition to ride until an “advanced” age with the accumulation of races and calendars. more and more loaded. By that I mean, well into their thirties. 

While waiting for 2028 and the expiration of his lease with Red Bull, he could have competed in 105 new Grands Prix if we base ourselves on an average of 24 races per year in addition to the 9 remaining in the current year. Perhaps the last 105 of his career to bow out beyond 300, which is already quite a lot.

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