Christian Horner responds to Max Verstappen retirement talk

Red Bull star Verstappen raised the prospect of quitting F1 if potential changes to the sport’s format are made

Christian Horner has downplayed retirement talk surrounding Max Verstappen after the double world champion raised the prospect of quitting Formula 1.

With modifications to the sprint weekend format likely to come into force next week in Azerbaijan, Verstappen said at the last race in Australia that he wasn’t sure how long he’d continue in the sport if modifications to the race weekend are made.

Verstappen, who has a £40m-a-year contract with Red Bull until 2028, has stated in the past his dislike of sprint races.

A two-time F1 world champion at 25, Verstappen currently leads this year’s World Championship by 15 points and while Horner admits the Dutchman is unlikely to continue in the sport as long as 41-year-old Fernando Alonso, the Red Bull team principal believes he will continue to race while 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 told 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 track at the moment, he’s racing in the virtual world, he’s driving GT cars for fun, and his passion is just driving and racing, and while that burns within him, he’s going to keep going.

"But how long that burns for, that’s each individual’s own journey, they’ve got to find that out for themselves."

Christian Horner has downplayed retirement talk surrounding Max Verstappen (Getty Images)

Horner also moved to dismiss reports linking Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey with a move away from the world champions.

Newey has been widely praised for being the main architect behind Red Bull’s rapid RB19 this year, but reports last month stated 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 always going to be rumours in this paddock, that’s Formula 1."