Damon Hill tells Max Verstappen “stop and do something else” amid F1 displeasure

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Damon Hill tells Max Verstappen “stop and do something else” amid F1 displeasure

Max Verstappen has been vocal in his concerns over the current Formula 1 spectacle.

Verstappen has continually been linked with Mercedes
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Damon Hill has issued Max Verstappen an ultimatum after continued threats to quit Formula 1. 

Four-time world champion Verstappen has not hidden his dislike of the current F1 regulations, describing the racing as akin to “Mario Kart”, while suggesting those who enjoy the spectacle “know nothing about racing”.

Now, 1996 champion Damon Hill has bitten back, and told the Dutchman to duck out of his Red Bull contract two years early and follow through on his threats if he is being serious in his outbursts. 

“I think if you’re not happy doing something, you should stop and do something else,” Hill told the BBC. “You’re not obliged to do it.

“Max doesn’t have to do this. He’s a new dad as well, and he’s been doing it for a long time. There does come a point where the chewing gum loses its flavour a bit. Maybe he needs a break.”

A key area of his criticism, which began when the regulations were announced several years back, is the reliance on battery deployment, which affects the way drivers can either attack or defend. While this has resulted in an increase in overtakes across a race distance, the moves have been described as “artificial” by several drivers, with figures boosted by the pass-and-counter-pass nature, which overall maintains a stalemate, as drivers reserve their battery to regain a position. 

Verstappen previously said that he does not wish to remain in F1 into his 40s, and that he will remain for only as long as he is having fun. Saying that he has spoken to the FIA about specific areas of concern and changes that could be made, he was far from slamming the door shut on this chapter of his career. 

“If he’s saying this in order to get some leverage on the way things are at the moment, I don’t think that will work,” added Hill.

“I think that approach … people will just say ‘Max, go away, come back when you’ve had a think about it.’ You can’t always get what you want.”

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F1
2026
Max Verstappen

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Max Verstappen has been vocal in his concerns over the current Formula 1 spectacle.

Damon Hill has issued Max Verstappen an ultimatum after continued threats to quit Formula 1. 

Four-time world champion Verstappen has not hidden his dislike of the current F1 regulations, describing the racing as akin to “Mario Kart”, while suggesting those who enjoy the spectacle “know nothing about racing”.

Now, 1996 champion Damon Hill has bitten back, and told the Dutchman to duck out of his Red Bull contract two years early and follow through on his threats if he is being serious in his outbursts. 

“I think if you’re not happy doing something, you should stop and do something else,” Hill told the BBC. “You’re not obliged to do it.

“Max doesn’t have to do this. He’s a new dad as well, and he’s been doing it for a long time. There does come a point where the chewing gum loses its flavour a bit. Maybe he needs a break.”

A key area of his criticism, which began when the regulations were announced several years back, is the reliance on battery deployment, which affects the way drivers can either attack or defend. While this has resulted in an increase in overtakes across a race distance, the moves have been described as “artificial” by several drivers, with figures boosted by the pass-and-counter-pass nature, which overall maintains a stalemate, as drivers reserve their battery to regain a position. 

Verstappen previously said that he does not wish to remain in F1 into his 40s, and that he will remain for only as long as he is having fun. Saying that he has spoken to the FIA about specific areas of concern and changes that could be made, he was far from slamming the door shut on this chapter of his career. 

“If he’s saying this in order to get some leverage on the way things are at the moment, I don’t think that will work,” added Hill.

“I think that approach … people will just say ‘Max, go away, come back when you’ve had a think about it.’ You can’t always get what you want.”

Damon Hill has issued Max Verstappen an ultimatum after continued threats to quit Formula 1. 

Four-time world champion Verstappen has not hidden his dislike of the current F1 regulations, describing the racing as akin to “Mario Kart”, while suggesting those who enjoy the spectacle “know nothing about racing”.

Now, 1996 champion Damon Hill has bitten back, and told the Dutchman to duck out of his Red Bull contract two years early and follow through on his threats if he is being serious in his outbursts. 

“I think if you’re not happy doing something, you should stop and do something else,” Hill told the BBC. “You’re not obliged to do it.

“Max doesn’t have to do this. He’s a new dad as well, and he’s been doing it for a long time. There does come a point where the chewing gum loses its flavour a bit. Maybe he needs a break.”

A key area of his criticism, which began when the regulations were announced several years back, is the reliance on battery deployment, which affects the way drivers can either attack or defend. While this has resulted in an increase in overtakes across a race distance, the moves have been described as “artificial” by several drivers, with figures boosted by the pass-and-counter-pass nature, which overall maintains a stalemate, as drivers reserve their battery to regain a position. 

Verstappen previously said that he does not wish to remain in F1 into his 40s, and that he will remain for only as long as he is having fun. Saying that he has spoken to the FIA about specific areas of concern and changes that could be made, he was far from slamming the door shut on this chapter of his career. 

“If he’s saying this in order to get some leverage on the way things are at the moment, I don’t think that will work,” added Hill.

“I think that approach … people will just say ‘Max, go away, come back when you’ve had a think about it.’ You can’t always get what you want.”

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