Max Verstappen still has no idea when he will stop racing in Formula 1 but has accepted the idea that he "maybe will not win a world championship again" if the circumstances are not correct.
Verstappen's time as reigning world champion is set to come to an end this year with Red Bull off the pace of McLaren.
Either one of Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris will snap Verstappen's streak of four straight titles by the end of the season.
Verstappen, contracted to Red Bull until 2028, has always said he does not intend to race in F1 too long having already achieved the one world title he wanted in 2021.
Speaking to ESPN over the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen said he still has no idea how long he will race for.
"I probably won't continue until I'm 44," Verstappen, 27, joked in response to an example about two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who has not won a race since 2013 despite being considered one of the greats of the modern era.
Verstappen is mindful of F1's upcoming regulation change, which promises to reset the competitive order in 2026.
"I think this has already been more than I could have ever dream of, you know, back in the day. So, of course, I'm very happy and proud of what I have achieved so far and you never know, maybe you will not win a championship again. That's something that can happen, but it's not really on my mind."
The question of how long Verstappen will keep racing is a lingering one in Formula 1.
He has never shown a desire to break records and, having become a father earlier this year, has increasingly stressed how much he misses spending time with his family while following F1's 24-race schedule around the globe.
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While reflecting on options for the future, the four-time champion said he's open to one day getting involved in racing from the other side -- on the pit wall.
"I have a lot of plans and things around racing, but that doesn't necessarily always need my involvement 100%, I think, in the future. But of course, in the beginning, it's super important to set everything up really well. But those plans are for the future, down the line.
"I would like to drive a little bit more [after F1], but I also actually don't mind the more like manager side of things, you know, to see other drivers compete in your car, your team. So yeah, I mean, it's not so easy to fully answer that right now. It also just depends a bit on how much fun it all is, you know, for myself, how fast you are as well because at one point you will get slower with age and then maybe it's better to put the young guys in ... because you don't want to also look like an idiot!"
Despite his Red Bull contract, Verstappen was courted by Mercedes about a move in 2026 -- something he has now dismissed.