Max Verstappen has issued a caveat that a total dislike of Formula 1‘s new regulations cycle would see him walk away from the sport.
The Dutchman will battle to reclaim his crown from Lando Norris with Red Bull, having committed to the team after alleged talks with Mercedes last summer.
Verstappen will help spearhead the Milton Keynes-based squad‘s new era with powertrain partner Ford, alongside new team-mate Isack Hadjar.
The new rulebook ensures an extreme level of unpredictability, as new cars and new engines have thrown up a significant challenge for the teams and their drivers.
Red Bull have already courted controversy by apparently finding a loophole within the regulations that might ensure a power advantage, alongside Mercedes.
It has given the team an extra boost, given it had spent months lowering the bar of expectation as to what it could achieve straightaway, given its powertrain inexperience.
Verstappen, speaking to de Telegraaf, admitted it will be a big season for the team, but explained that he is “relaxed” about the upcoming campaign in comparison to Red Bull’s personnel.
“A crucial year? Yes, actually,” he said.
“I do think that of all the people around me, I am the most relaxed about it. I’ll manage. It will work out in the end.
“Whether there’s a chance I’ll stop completely, even before 2029, if I don’t like the rules? Well, then it must all turn out very negatively.”
Verstappen will get behind the wheel of the RB22 for the first time next week, when F1’s first testing schedule commences in Barcelona.
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