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Outspoken race winner claims F1 “doesn’t need” Max Verstappen
F1 race winner Eddie Irvine gives his take on Max Verstappen’s complaints.
Ex-Formula 1 race winner Eddie Irvine has claimed the series “doesn’t need” Max Verstappen in response to the four-time world champion’s quit threats.
Verstappen sent shockwaves through the paddock after the Japanese Grand Prix when he said he is considering walking away from F1 at the end of the season due to his dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations.
The Red Bull driver, who finished seventh at Suzuka, is unhappy with the direction F1 has gone in with its new regulations amid a shift towards a greater emphasis on electrical energy.
Verstappen has been the harshest critic of F1’s new rules, labelling them “Formula E on steroids” during pre-season testing, before continuing to make further disparaging comments across the opening three rounds of the campaign.
He made his strongest comments yet in Japan by threatening to quit F1, telling BBC Sport: “That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.
“Privately I’m very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
Irvine, who won four grands prix on his way to finishing runner-up in 1999 with Ferrari, reacted to Verstappen’s latest remarks in an interview with Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport.
“F1 doesn’t need Max, there are plenty of talented drivers,” Irvine stated. “It’s tough for him to find himself in the middle of the pack. But considering his salary, there are over €50 million (£43.5m) in good reasons to stay.”
Irvine is the latest former F1 driver to weigh in on Verstappen voicing his displeasure.
Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle told Verstappen to either leave F1 “or stop talking about it” after growing tired of hearing his repeated complaints.
“Max is very unfiltered isn’t he? He always has been,” Brundle said. “And he’s talked a lot for a long time about ‘I’m not in this for a long haul, I’m not going to be around in my 40s.’
“I think it’s getting a bit boring now, what he’s saying. Either go, or stop talking about it. It is what it is, you’ve got to make the most of it.
“Nobody is indispensable in this business. I’ve seen a number of amazing people come through this sport and are no longer with us, or have moved on to do something else. The sport goes on. This goes for any of us. The minute we stop, people will be talking about who does the job next.
“There are any number of [Kimi] Antonellis, [Ollie] Bearmans, [Arvid] Lindblads out there who would do the job incredibly well for 1% of the money. The sport will just move on if Max decides to go.”
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F1 race winner Eddie Irvine gives his take on Max Verstappen’s complaints.
Ex-Formula 1 race winner Eddie Irvine has claimed the series “doesn’t need” Max Verstappen in response to the four-time world champion’s quit threats.
Verstappen sent shockwaves through the paddock after the Japanese Grand Prix when he said he is considering walking away from F1 at the end of the season due to his dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations.
The Red Bull driver, who finished seventh at Suzuka, is unhappy with the direction F1 has gone in with its new regulations amid a shift towards a greater emphasis on electrical energy.
Verstappen has been the harshest critic of F1’s new rules, labelling them “Formula E on steroids” during pre-season testing, before continuing to make further disparaging comments across the opening three rounds of the campaign.
He made his strongest comments yet in Japan by threatening to quit F1, telling BBC Sport: “That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.
“Privately I’m very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
Irvine, who won four grands prix on his way to finishing runner-up in 1999 with Ferrari, reacted to Verstappen’s latest remarks in an interview with Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport.
“F1 doesn’t need Max, there are plenty of talented drivers,” Irvine stated. “It’s tough for him to find himself in the middle of the pack. But considering his salary, there are over €50 million (£43.5m) in good reasons to stay.”
Irvine is the latest former F1 driver to weigh in on Verstappen voicing his displeasure.
Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle told Verstappen to either leave F1 “or stop talking about it” after growing tired of hearing his repeated complaints.
“Max is very unfiltered isn’t he? He always has been,” Brundle said. “And he’s talked a lot for a long time about ‘I’m not in this for a long haul, I’m not going to be around in my 40s.’
“I think it’s getting a bit boring now, what he’s saying. Either go, or stop talking about it. It is what it is, you’ve got to make the most of it.
“Nobody is indispensable in this business. I’ve seen a number of amazing people come through this sport and are no longer with us, or have moved on to do something else. The sport goes on. This goes for any of us. The minute we stop, people will be talking about who does the job next.
“There are any number of [Kimi] Antonellis, [Ollie] Bearmans, [Arvid] Lindblads out there who would do the job incredibly well for 1% of the money. The sport will just move on if Max decides to go.”
Ex-Formula 1 race winner Eddie Irvine has claimed the series “doesn’t need” Max Verstappen in response to the four-time world champion’s quit threats.
Verstappen sent shockwaves through the paddock after the Japanese Grand Prix when he said he is considering walking away from F1 at the end of the season due to his dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations.
The Red Bull driver, who finished seventh at Suzuka, is unhappy with the direction F1 has gone in with its new regulations amid a shift towards a greater emphasis on electrical energy.
Verstappen has been the harshest critic of F1’s new rules, labelling them “Formula E on steroids” during pre-season testing, before continuing to make further disparaging comments across the opening three rounds of the campaign.
He made his strongest comments yet in Japan by threatening to quit F1, telling BBC Sport: “That’s what I’m saying. I’m thinking about everything inside this paddock.
“Privately I’m very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
Irvine, who won four grands prix on his way to finishing runner-up in 1999 with Ferrari, reacted to Verstappen’s latest remarks in an interview with Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport.
“F1 doesn’t need Max, there are plenty of talented drivers,” Irvine stated. “It’s tough for him to find himself in the middle of the pack. But considering his salary, there are over €50 million (£43.5m) in good reasons to stay.”
Irvine is the latest former F1 driver to weigh in on Verstappen voicing his displeasure.
Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle told Verstappen to either leave F1 “or stop talking about it” after growing tired of hearing his repeated complaints.
“Max is very unfiltered isn’t he? He always has been,” Brundle said. “And he’s talked a lot for a long time about ‘I’m not in this for a long haul, I’m not going to be around in my 40s.’
“I think it’s getting a bit boring now, what he’s saying. Either go, or stop talking about it. It is what it is, you’ve got to make the most of it.
“Nobody is indispensable in this business. I’ve seen a number of amazing people come through this sport and are no longer with us, or have moved on to do something else. The sport goes on. This goes for any of us. The minute we stop, people will be talking about who does the job next.
“There are any number of [Kimi] Antonellis, [Ollie] Bearmans, [Arvid] Lindblads out there who would do the job incredibly well for 1% of the money. The sport will just move on if Max decides to go.”
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