Max Verstappen weighing up his options after F1 contract expires: 'You will not see me again'

World champion and current world championship leader Max Verstappen has warned that he may "stop" his Formula 1 career after the end of his current contract.

The 24-year-old Dutchman has signed an incredible $50-plus million per year deal with Red Bull through 2027 and rules out sticking around beyond that in a role such as a commentator.

The 2021 champion said: "You will not see me again as an analyst or in a team role. I don't have the motivation for that. When I don't drive anymore, I want to do other fun things."

However, some of that fun could be at the wheel of a racing car, as Verstappen cited the example of his father Jos, who is back racing at a semi-professional level.

"It's nice to still be competitive at a good age," Verstappen said. The problem is that when I participate in anything, I really want to win."

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Verstappen isn't sure how old he will be when his F1 career ends - or whether he will even sign another contract.

"I haven't decided yet what I'll do after 2028," he said. "Maybe I'll stop. I've been in F1 since I was 17 years old. That's a long time. I've had many seasons in F1 already. Maybe I want to do something different."

He indicated that his future is definitely at the wheel of a racing car, though.

"I want to do other types of races - long-distance races, for example," said Verstappen. "Or maybe by then, I'll be tired of travelling all the time. Maybe I want a simpler life and just do the races I like."