Max Verstappen told to quit Formula 1 before 2026

Max Verstappen’s dominance over the past four seasons has created an expectation that he will keep racing wherever there is a winning car.



Yet Damon Hill believes stepping away in 2026 could actually protect that winning aura.



The 1996 World Champion points to the looming regulation overhaul and McLaren’s current superiority as reasons for Verstappen to pause and reassess.



Contract Clauses And Competitive Doubts



Verstappen’s long-term deal with Red Bull reportedly includes a performance clause that allows him to leave early if the team fails to finish inside the top three in the Constructors’ standings.







Hill argues that clause might as well be exercised pre-emptively if Red Bull cannot close the gap to McLaren by season’s end.



“Red Bull are fighting to retain Max,” Hill told the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast.



Why A Year Off Makes Sense



“It might be a wise thing to do,” Hill said.



“He’s won four World Championships.



“He could sit back next year and go ‘okay, I can see which way the future is going to go for the next 10 years.’”



Hill’s logic is that the new engine and chassis rules arriving in 2026 could shake up the pecking order even more dramatically than the 2021-22 transition.



By taking a sabbatical, the Dutchman would avoid being locked into a potentially uncompetitive car and could return in 2027 with full knowledge of who adapted best.



The Psychological Edge



Verstappen has often dismissed speculation about leaving, insisting he is focused on the current campaign.



Hill, though, believes the champion’s ruthless pursuit of success makes loyalty conditional on performance.



“If Red Bull cannot convince him they can keep up, why stay?” he asked.



Precedent For A Break



Hill referenced Niki Lauda’s two-year hiatus in 1980-81 and Alain Prost’s 1992 sabbatical as proof that time away does not dull a champion’s edge.



Both drivers returned to seize additional world titles.



Verstappen, now just 27, has ample time to emulate that blueprint without jeopardising his statistical march toward the sport’s records.



Red Bull’s Counter-Move



Team boss Christian Horner has already pledged major upgrades and a staffing reshuffle to chase McLaren.



But even if Red Bull claw back ground in 2025, Hill questions whether that recovery can be sustained through the rule reset.



Rivals Ready To Pounce



Mercedes and Aston Martin have long courted Verstappen, while Ferrari’s management overhaul might tempt him if the Scuderia show clear progress.



A year on the market would allow Verstappen to choose whichever 2027 package looks most potent.



The Risk Factor



Taking a break always carries danger.



Sponsors may shift focus, and the grid’s young talents will seize any opening.



But Hill insists Verstappen’s stock is so high that he would “slot straight back in again” wherever he wishes.



Final Thought



With four titles in his pocket and the sport on the cusp of another technological shake-up, Verstappen must weigh immediate racing thrills against long-term supremacy.



Hill’s advice to “see which way the wind is going to blow” may prove the most pragmatic strategy of all.
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