Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Ex-F1 driver turned pundit Karun Chandhok reiterated his belief that Max Verstappen could take a sabbatical from Formula 1, which may allow him to return “reinvigorated”.
Verstappen is under contract at Red Bull until the end of 2028, though that has not stopped speculation over his Formula 1 future, not only due to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff making his desire to lure Verstappen away public, but Verstappen himself has hinted at leaving the series in the coming years on several occasions.
Karun Chandhok sticking to Max Verstappen sabbatical theory
Additional reporting by Sam Cooper
Chandhok recently said he believes Verstappen will sit out the F1 2026 campaign, the year when new chassis and power unit regulations will come into effect, before assessing the landscape and deciding the best team to look to return with.
Mercedes driver George Russell has since provided a very similar theory of his own about a Verstappen sabbatical.
And in a piece for The Intercooler, Chandhok stuck to his guns, citing Verstappen’s “open” ambition to race in categories outside of Formula 1, which he thinks adds weight to his Verstappen prediction.
“A couple of weeks ago I appeared to create a spot of social media chaos by suggesting that Max Verstappen could take a year away from F1,” Chandhok wrote.
“The controversial start to Red Bull’s season, very much an ongoing case between the complainant and Christian Horner, seems to have riled Max’s dad Jos Verstappen, de-stabilising the harmony between the Verstappen camp and Horner. This has led to plenty of speculation around Max’s future with the team.
“While I don’t know whether Max will leave Red Bull for another team, he’s been open about his ambition to try other forms of the sport and not being around F1 forever. It is racing and driving he loves and it doesn’t have to be in F1.
“Clearly Max is performing at an incredible level and is young enough to take a break and come back strong if he wanted to. He’s been at kart tracks and travelling the world relentlessly ever since he was four years old.
“He achieved his life’s ambition of becoming F1 World Champion back in 2021 at the tender age of just 24. By the end of this year he’ll probably be a quadruple World Champion, and I wonder if he’s looking for a new challenge to re-discover his mojo and come back reinvigorated.”
F1 2025 grid continues to take shape
Victories for McLaren’s Lando Norris in Miami and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in Monaco have meant that Verstappen’s status as a four-time World Champion by the end of the season is looking less of a guarantee, though the Dutchman is not giving thought to whether he now has a title battle on his hands.
Asked by media including PlanetF1.com at the Monaco Grand Prix whether the battle is now on, or if it is too early to say, Verstappen replied: “I don’t even think about that. It’s so long, so many things that can happen.
“One bad race won’t define the Championship.
“But I know that to win a title you need to be consistent and that’s what we have to try and be.”
Verstappen currently leads this season’s Drivers’ Championship by 31 points over Leclerc.
News
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul’s fight is ‘f***ing ridiculous’, says UFC chief Dana White – with postponed clash in Texas set to be given a new date
Dana White called Jake Paul‘s fight against former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson ‘f***ing ridiculous.’ The upcoming bout, which was postponed after the 57-year-old suffered a medical emergency on a cross-country flight, was scheduled to take place in Texas next month. The UFC boss laughed…
New date for Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul is announced after controversial fight originally scheduled for July 20 was postponed
Jake Paul’s postponed fight with Mike Tyson has been rescheduled for November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The upcoming bout was originally scheduled for July 20 until the 57-year-old Tyson suffered a medical emergency during a cross-country flight on May…
Eddie Hall produces BRUTAL knockout in his MMA debut as British strongman defeats TikTok duo in bizarre 2v1 bout in the World Freak Fight League
Eddie Hall’s MMA debut ended in chaos, as the British strongman scored a knockout victory in a bizarre bout on Friday night. The former winner of the World’s Strongest Man competed in a unique 2v1 handicap bout for his first…
Mike Tyson sends chilling warning to Jake Paul after controversial fight was rearranged: ‘Different date, same fate’
Mike Tyson is still promising to render Jake Paul unconscious when the two finally meet in the ring on November 15. The former undisputed heavyweight champion was initially slated to face Paul, 27, on July 20 in a controversial bout three weeks after…
Boxing champion Savannah Marshall wins her MMA debut with stunning first-round stoppage before facing off with rival Claressa Shields and demanding a rematch inside the cage
Savannah Marshall secured a brutal first round victory in her MMA debut in Newcastle on Saturday night. The boxing star took on Mirela Vargas in PFL Europe and delivered a dominant performance, with the fight stopped with 32 seconds of the first…
Moment Ryan Garcia is led out of his five-star Beverly Hills hotel by cops in handcuffs while bizarrely wearing a helmet after arrest
This is the moment Ryan Garcia was walked out of his five-star Beverly Hills hotel by police officers in handcuffs. The controversial boxer was arrested for felony vandalism at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Los Angeles on Saturday. He has reportedly now been released after…
End of content
No more pages to load