Christian Horner is not concerned about Max Verstappen walking away from Formula One any time soon despite the Dutchman's recent threat.
The two-time world champion has made clear his negative opinion on Sprint race weekends and has suggested he will quit the sport if further modifications are made. Verstappen dislikes the format and believes the Sunday race should be the main spectacle of the weekend.
He recently said : "I'm happy with just the main race. I think that's way better for the excitement. I naturally of course hope that there won't be too many changes, otherwise I won't be around for too long."
But Horner has downplayed Verstappen's comments. Though he admits the double world champion is unlikely to follow in the footsteps of Fernando Alonso and still race in his 40s, the Red Bull chief is not worried about losing his star driver just yet.
He said: "Max is his own man and he's very, very strong in his opinions and on his outlook on what he wants to do in his life. If he's not racing on track at the moment, he's racing in the virtual world, he's driving GT cars for fun, and his passion is just driving and racing.
"While that burns within him, he's going to keep going. But how long that burns for, that's each individual's own journey – they've got to find that out for themselves."
Verstappen currently sits top of the championship standings 15 points ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez, and is contracted to stay at Red Bull until 2028. He previously admitted he has "completed F1" after winning the championship in 2021 and stated any other achievements are "a bonus".
Horner has pointed towards the increasing numbers of races as the reason for inevitable early retirements calling it "brutal" for drivers. Ralf Schumacher said something similar last year and pointed to his F1 legend brother Michael as the potential reason why the standard of success in the sport is so high.
The German said: "The whole life depends on Formula 1. It starts when you get up and stops when you fall asleep. There is not much family life. Then there is the extreme training. My brother raised the fitness level to a new level. Parties are not in there."
