Max Verstappen issues fresh F1 quit threat with workload "getting too much"

Max Verstappen has doubled down on his threat to walk away from Formula 1 after the latest changes to the Sprint weekend structure were approved.

Four of the five F1 sessions over the course of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend will be competitive. It begins as usual with FP1 on Friday but, after that, every other piece of track action in Baku will mean something after the second qualifying session was scrapped.

Qualifying will take place on Friday as usual, with the first Saturday session now a 'shootout' event to set the grid for the Sprint later that day. Sundays are unchanged with the Grand Prix taking place as usual, with the grid set by the result of Friday's qualifying, not the result of the Sprint.

Many have praised the change, as the shootout adds more excitement for fans and drivers instead of taking part in another dull practice session. But Verstappen, already not a fan of the Sprint in general, is less encouraged by the format.

Speaking to reporters in Baku, the Red Bull racer again voiced his concerns about adding more racing action to an already bloated schedule. "If we keep expanding the calendar and the whole weekend is that long, at one point you question yourself 'is it worth it?'," he said.

"I do like racing, I do like winning. I know that of course the salary and everything, you have a good life, but is it actually a good life? I think sometimes you get to a point in your career where maybe you want to do other stuff.

Lewis Hamilton was much more positive about the change (HOCH ZWEI/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

"I know that I have a contract until the end of 2028, and then we'll review again. But I do feel that if it's getting at one point too much, then it's time for a change."

F1 rival Lewis Hamilton is much more enthused by the change, though. The 38-year-old said: "Particularly with the shake-up of the whole format of the weekend, it's probably the most exciting weekend so far this year and I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

"I think it's going to be tough for everybody, but we're all in the same boat. What a track to be able to do it, where overtaking is possible. Great racing here."