Max Verstappen's F1 future faces fresh doubt amid motivation fears

Jos Verstappen has weighed in on concerns over son Max Verstappen's Formula 1 future, warning that the Dutchman is falling out of love with the sport, which 'could become a problem for his future'.

Four-time champion Max Verstappen has been highly critical of the latest generation of F1 machinery, with his disquiet stretching back to when the regulations were first announced.

Since the start of the season, his frustrations have been on full display, with the extreme reliance on the battery to be able to battle on track, leaving him unable to defend following an overtake, resulting in "Mario Kart" racing, as he describes it.

In China, Verstappen was openly stating that he needs to weigh up the merits of staying at home with friends and family, against racing when he is "not enjoying your sport". 

Now, Jos has further stoked the flames of a potential F1 exit, telling De Telegraaf: “You’re told it’s just a matter of getting used to it, but I’m certain Max won’t enjoy it this way. Of course, he always tries to make the best of it. That’s a separate issue. He’s doing everything he can with Red Bull to become more competitive, but racing in these cars doesn’t challenge him.

“To be honest, I’m a bit worried that Max might lose his motivation. He used to think racing in a Formula 1 car was the best thing in the world, but now I’m rather pessimistic about it.

“I’d like to say it wasn’t the case, but I do see this becoming a problem with regard to his future.”

Verstappen recently completed the second round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie in his Mercedes-AMG GT3, and will contest the Nürburgring 24 Hours in May. Having publicly declared and proven his interest in racing in other categories, there is a real chance that the Red Bull driver could leave should he continue not to find enjoyment in F1. 

A meeting between F1 and the F1 on 9 April could lead to some regulatory changes, but any such action would face a political battle, which would limit any alterations made.

Convinced the F1 stakeholders listen to his son's comments, Verstappen Sr. conceded: “It’s possible they might make a few minor changes to the regulations this year, but that won’t make a difference. I hope there will be major changes for next season or, if necessary, the year after."

The Dutchman added: “It’s also a political game. It’s not always easy to bring about change. Toto Wolff and Mercedes will want to stick to these regulations for as long as possible.

“They’ve invested a lot of money and time in this and clearly have a head start, including in terms of knowledge compared to their own customer teams. That’s their prerogative, of course. They can capitalise on this now.”