Christian Horner: Red Bull's Max Verstappen not quitting Formula 1 anytime soon

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has responded to Max Verstappen's recent threats to quit Formula 1, stating that it is not an imminent risk.

Verstappen, the current double World Champion, has expressed frustration with the changes made to Grand Prix weekends and has hinted that he may walk away from the sport when his current contract expires at the end of the 2028 season.

Horner, however, played down these concerns, stating that Verstappen's contract still has many years to run on it. He also praised the driver's willingness to voice his opinions on the direction of F1. "I think it's great that drivers do have opinions and they don't just become stereotypes," said Horner to media.

The Red Bull boss also commented on the current state of the championship, with Verstappen looking to secure his third consecutive title. However, he warned that the season would be a "marathon" and that both Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez would need to maintain their consistency to hold off challenges from Mercedes and Ferrari.

"Checo's had a fantastic start to the season, so he's started the season stronger than he's ever done," said Horner. "And I think that, as we all know, confidence is a big thing in any sport and Checo's confidence is sky high."

Horner's comments come ahead of Verstappen's third win of the season in Miami, which further cements his position at the top of the driver's standings. However, with Mercedes and Ferrari expected to improve as the season progresses, Verstappen and Perez will need to stay on top of their game if they want to retain their lead.

As for Verstappen's future in the sport, Horner believes that it is difficult to predict. "Did Fernando Alonso think he'd be racing at 42? Probably not. I mean, Lewis Hamilton is in his latter 30s. So the future is just so difficult to predict," he said.

Overall, Horner's comments suggest that Red Bull are confident with their current driver lineup and are not concerned about the possibility of Verstappen leaving the team anytime soon. However, as the season unfolds, anything can happen, and it remains to be seen how the championship will play out.