Max Verstappen rules out team principal role after F1 retirement

Max Verstappen has ruled out becoming a team principal once he retires as an F1 driver.

The Dutchman is under contract at Red Bull until at least the end of 2028, although suggestions have been made that he could switch teams at the end of next year should Red Bull's car be uncompetitive.

For the first time in its history, the Austrian outfit will power itself from the start of the 2026 power unit regulations, marking a significant challenge.

Regardless of whether he sticks with Red Bull for the entirety of his contract or not, Verstappen has stressed that he will not race in F1 for as long as some of his rivals.

The four-time world champion has no intention of spending his entire career in the pinnacle of motorsport, being eager to compete in endurance racing.

However, even when his racing career comes to an end, Verstappen has no interest in returning to F1 as a team principal.

Pointed out that he would make a good team principal once he retires from F1, Verstappen joked to Formule1.nl: "Haha, but I'm not going to be that in Formula 1. No way, no way!

"If you are team boss of a Formula 1 team, you have to live in England or Italy anyway. I don't fancy that. True, these are practical objections, but I think such a role is too big — far too big.

"That's not what I like or aspire to. If you've driven in Formula 1 yourself for years and decide to stop, you're done with it for a while, I imagine.

"I want to do other things — racing too, but on a smaller scale and in my own way."