Verstappen Rules Out Bringing His Racing Team to F1

Max Verstappen has made it clear that his racing project, Verstappen Racing, will never step onto the Formula 1 grid, despite plans to expand the team into other racing series. The Red Bull driver founded the eponymous team in 2022 and soon directed it toward endurance racing, competing in various GT3 categories since 2023.

The Dutch outfit has already tasted early success, claiming its maiden sprint race victory in the GT World Challenge Europe at Magny-Cours earlier this month. Verstappen himself also competed with the team when he made his debut at the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May.

Speaking with Formule 1 Magazine, Max Verstappen outlined his ambitions for the team. “By then, there should be a professional racing team competing for victories in the various racing classes. Nothing more, nothing less. We’re not going to compete just because it’s fun to race. We want to be at the front, win races, and, at the very least, consistently compete at the front,” he said.

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However, Verstappen firmly ruled out any move into single-seater categories. “It’s definitely the goal to expand the racing team further. Specifically toward endurance racing, not toward Formula 1 or anything like that,” the 26-year-old explained.

The decision comes as no surprise given the demanding nature of F1. “No! Because that’s way too demanding. Then I’d still be on the road for 24 races a year or very busy with my own racing team. You can outsource things, but I’m not the type of person who can lie on a beach for five races without knowing what’s going on with my team. That would cause me too much stress,” Verstappen said.

Despite this, Verstappen hinted that he will remain active in endurance racing after his F1 retirement. With his experience and reputation, Verstappen Racing is poised to become a formidable force in GT and endurance events, albeit without Verstappen’s presence in the world of single-seaters.