Two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen believes that Max Verstappen could make a move away from Red Bull Racing in the future.
Just like Hakkinen in the late 1990s, the Dutchman has won back-to-back F1 titles and became the 17th driver to have his name etched on the championship trophy more than once.
There is still plenty of scope for Verstappen to add more championships to his tally with Red Bull after committing to a long-term deal earlier in the season which will run until 2028.
However, with the number of F1 races in a season seemingly increasing year after year, Hakkinen understands that it could start to take its toll.
“Verstappen has a long contract with Red Bull. A multi-year contract,” Hakkinen told fans in his Unibet video column. “It’s positive because it shows he has faith in the team.”
“Like I said, they have good technicians and designers, but the F1 calendar is extremely brutal.
“All those races are incredibly consuming, many of the women and men have families. The travelling is gruesome. They want to spend time with their kids and families.
“It may happen that people – who are in very important positions, the head of the technical department – can suddenly say they’ve had enough and can’t continue anymore. It can be a problem, in my opinion.
“The drivers have their private jets, there’s a car waiting for them. It’s a whole different lifestyle.”
It would be quite a shock to see Verstappen make the switch from Red Bull, considering he has spent the entirety of his career within the Austrian teams’ ranks.
He joined the junior team in 2014 and tested for Red Bull’s sister team Toro Rosso in the latter stages of the season before securing a full-time drive in 2015 when he was just 17 years old.
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