Max Verstappen casts doubt over F1 future by claiming he is ‘beyond frustrated’

Max Verstappen has cast further doubt over his Formula One future by claiming he is “beyond frustrated and upset” and added he has a lot of “personal stuff to figure out”.

As George Russell was dealt another world championship warning by Kimi Antonelli after he was beaten to pole position for Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen laboured to 11th.

“I am not even frustrated anymore,” said the disconsolate Red Bull driver. “I am beyond that.

“I don’t know the right word in English for it. I don’t know what it is in Dutch either. I don’t know what to make of it to be honest. There are probably no words. I don’t get upset about it, and I don’t get frustrated by it anymore with what is going on.

“You know how I think about a lot of the stuff, and I don’t need to mention it again. So, there is a lot of stuff also, for me personally, to figure out.”

Pressed on what he meant, Verstappen added: “Life.” Asked to elaborate further, Verstappen added: “Life here.”

Verstappen has made little secret of his disdain for the sport’s new regulations – repeatedly comparing them to Mario Kart – and the four-time world champion said prior to this year that he would walk away if he did not enjoy the rules. His Red Bull team are also off the boil, too.

Verstappen, under contract with the former champions until 2028, finished sixth at the first race in Melbourne.

He broke down at the next round in China with an engine problem, and in qualifying here – a venue he won at so impressively last year – was eliminated in Q2 and out-qualified by his Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar.

Pole in Shanghai and now pole at Suzuka