A Red Bull consultant has speculated that Max Verstappen might step away from Formula 1 after the 2025 season, amid the quadruple world champion's recent activities outside the sport.
Fresh from becoming a father to daughter Lily and competing in Miami, Verstappen headed to Germany's Nurburgring, tackling the demanding Nordschleife circuit.
Despite lacking a licence to compete in the category, he tested a Verstappen.com Racing-branded Ferrari 296 GT3, prepared by Emil Frey Racing, in official testing for the Nurburgring Langstrecken series (NLS). To maintain a low profile, the car was registered under the pseudonym Franz Hermann, though his participation quickly became public knowledge.
Specialist outlets report that Verstappen's test aimed to secure the mandatory DMSB Permit Nordschleife, a prerequisite for events like the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Former AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost, now a Red Bull consultant, noted that Verstappen was "immediately two seconds faster than the rest" in a prior test with the same car.
Tost now fuels speculation that the 27-year-old may opt for a sabbatical in 2026 rather than switching to teams like Mercedes or Aston Martin. "I can imagine Max taking a year off and calmly observing who has implemented the new chassis regulations and the new engines best from a technical perspective," Tost told Sport1.
"And then coming back in 2027."
He added: "Because one thing is certain - everyone wants Max on their team if they can get him. Firstly, because he makes every team significantly better. And secondly, to prevent the other teams from having him."
Verstappen, however, seems to downplay both the sabbatical theory and rumours of triggering a performance-related exit clause in his Red Bull contract. "I have a contract until 2028," the Dutchman stated, "and after that it depends on what projects arise and how interesting they are."
Verstappen remains relaxed about his future, saying: "I said after my first title that everything I get now is a bonus, and I still see it that way. I'll keep going as long as I enjoy it."
