Christian Horner has downplayed retirement speak surrounding Max Verstappen after the double world champion raised the prospect of quitting Formula 1.
With modifications to the dash weekend format prone to come into drive subsequent week in Azerbaijan, Verstappen mentioned on the final race in Australia that he wasn’t positive how lengthy he’d proceed within the sport if modifications to the race weekend are made.
Verstappen, who has a £40m-a-year contract with Red Bull till 2028, has said up to now his dislike of dash races.
A two-time F1 world champion at 25, Verstappen at present leads this yr’s World Championship by 15 factors and whereas Horner admits the Dutchman is unlikely to proceed within the sport so long as 41-year-old Fernando Alonso, the Red Bull crew principal believes he’ll proceed to race whereas that “passion burns within him.”
“Max is his own man and he’s very, very strong in his opinions and on his outlook on what he wants to do in his life,” Horner advised Sky Sports News.
“And I don’t see him being a Fernando Alonso and still racing at 41 or 42 years of age, or maybe not in Formula 1, but what his love and passion is, is racing.
“If he’s not racing on monitor in the meanwhile, he’s racing within the digital world, he’s driving GT automobiles for enjoyable, and his ardour is simply driving and racing, and whereas that burns inside him, he’s going to maintain going.
“But how long that burns for, that’s each individual’s own journey, they’ve got to find that out for themselves.”
Horner additionally moved to dismiss reviews linking Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey with a transfer away from the world champions.
Newey has been extensively praised for being the primary architect behind Red Bull’s speedy RB19 this yr, however reviews final month said the 64-year-old’s contract is up for renewal.
“His [Newey’s] heart is still very much in Formula 1 and his commitment to the team is, it’s not something…” Horner added.
“We don’t talk about contracts or longevity of contracts, but he’ll be here for many years to come.
“There’s all the time going to be rumours on this paddock, that’s Formula 1.”