Verstappen addresses early retirement talk

Max Verstappen has indicated he will not retire from F1 early in his career despite seeming disgruntled with comments made earlier this season.

The Dutchman seems certain to score his third consecutive F1 World Championship title this year having won 11 of 13 races and is contracted with Red Bull until 2028 - by which time he will be 31 years old.

Verstappen has previously stated that he has no desire to race into his 40s, as Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen have done, and as Lewis Hamilton seems set to do after penning a contract extension with Mercedes until 2025, whilst the ever-changing regulatory landscape - the Sprint format in particular - has led to the two-time champion suggesting he could quit if the sport continues to tinker.

Bloomberg Television asked Verstappen whether he would consider retiring early in the manner of Dutch football legend Marco van Basten, who played his last game at 28 after struggling with injuries.

"I think stopping at 28 is probably a bit too early," replied Verstappen.

"I never really targeted records. I enjoy what I'm doing now. This is not boring, this is exciting. I am very motivated to get to the track.

"I think it's more when you're not winning anymore and have no plan in place or a future where you see yourself winning again. Then you get bored."

Verstappen on breaking records: 'You always want more!'

Victory in last week's Dutch Grand Prix saw Verstappen equal Sebastian Vettel's F1 record of nine consecutive wins.

Though another win at Monza this weekend would see the Dutchman surpass that milestone, Verstappen said: "It's something that I never even thought was possible.

"But now that we have won nine in a row, tying the records, of course, you want more, and I think we have a good opportunity.

"F1 races are never straightforward, there are a lot of things that can happen. But I'm excited for the weekend."

Suggesting he can still find improvement in his performance, Verstappen added: "For me, it's never good enough. You try to look for the little details that can go better. This year, so far, has been amazing, but I will never be satisfied.