Is Verstappen really going to walk away from F1?
The Race F1 Podcast
The Race Media Ltd
4.5 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 2 April 2026
⏱️ 61 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Is Max Verstappen really inclined to walk away from Formula 1, what should F1 try to do to prevent that, and what would his exit mean for Red Bull?
Edd Straw is joined by Dutch F1 commentator Nelson Valkenburg plus Josh Suttill to discuss all the key questions over Verstappen's future on the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast.
There are also questions from The Race Members' Club on which ex-Red Bull junior should replace Verstappen if he does leave, whether George Russell is facing the kind of scenario at Mercedes that Fernando Alonso had at McLaren in 2007, and if pressure is growing on Franco Colapinto's place at Alpine.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Athletic |
| 0:02.7 | The Athletic |
| 0:02.7 | The Race is on, and amid the reports about Max Verstappan considering retirement, we ask how likely this |
| 0:18.4 | really is and what, if anything, F1 can do about it. And we tackle listener questions on Red Bull's disappointing form, McLaren, 2007 similarities at Mercedes, and much more. I'm Edgior and joining me with all the answers, are Josh Sotil and Nelson Valkenberg. Well, today, we're going to focus on listener questions from the race members club. If you're interested in joining, click the link in the episode description or head to Patreon |
| 0:40.2 | and have a search to find out more about that. |
| 0:42.7 | But there's only one place really we could start, given it's the big story that's rumbling |
| 0:47.0 | around at the moment. |
| 0:47.8 | It's perfect. |
| 0:48.3 | We have Nelson, who of course commentates for F1 on Dutch television. |
| 0:54.7 | So the first question, Nelson, from Alex Henley, |
| 0:57.1 | will Max retire at the end of the season? |
| 0:59.5 | Definitive answer, please. |
| 1:00.8 | If he doesn't get close to what he wants, |
| 1:04.1 | and that's to be heard, |
| 1:05.6 | to be understood and to be listened to, |
| 1:09.1 | then I believe it is a real possibility that he can go. |
| 1:13.4 | So that begs the question, what exactly needs to change? |
| 1:17.6 | And is it correct that it's primarily more about just F1 itself and the way it is and his |
| 1:23.0 | enjoyment than it is the car? |
| 1:25.2 | I think it's twofold. |
| 1:26.8 | Of course, he's very much not happy with the way F1 has been going for, |
| 1:31.6 | well, maybe the past decade, to be fair. |
... |
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