Jenson Button: I don't think Max Verstappen will take a year off and then come back

Despite being under a long term deal with Red Bull Racing, four time Formula 1 World Champion, Verstappen has repeatedly suggested he may not extend his stay in the sport indefinitely, prompting debate about a potential early exit.

Button, the 2009 F1 world champion, pointed to Verstappen’s racing mentality as a key factor in how his career could unfold beyond Formula 1. Drawing on his own post Formula 1 experience across multiple categories, the Briton suggested Verstappen is unlikely to step away from competition entirely.

“Personally, he doesn't seem like the type of guy to take a sabbatical,” Button told Sky Sports UK. “He's either racing or he's not racing. If he wants to stop and do something else, that's fun too. I think this will be his last F1 career. I don't think he'll take a year off and then come back. I don't think he's the Max I've come to know.”

Button added that Verstappen fits the profile of a driver motivated by the act of racing itself rather than remaining tied to a single category, noting his growing interest in endurance and GT competition.

Verstappen’s future is also linked to wider developments in the driver market, particularly following confirmation that his long time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028.

Lambiase has worked alongside Verstappen since his promotion to Red Bull in 2016, forming one of the most established driver engineer partnerships on the grid.

“Just a few weeks before Lambiase’s move to McLaren was announced, Max said: ‘I can’t even imagine racing without him by my side,’” Button said.

“But we're talking about 2028, another two years. We'll see. It's exciting; there's a lot to expect from the driver market in the coming years. Max will always be the center of attention because he's currently in a car that's not performing well. We're used to seeing him at the front, but he's not.”

The next phase of the season begins at the Miami Grand Prix, where the competitive order could become clearer after the early rounds.

With Verstappen’s long term future still uncertain and performance questions surrounding Red Bull, his situation is expected to remain a focal point as the championship develops.