Max Verstappen has said his long-term future in Formula 1 will largely depend on how much fun the next generation of cars are to drive, insisting he has no aspirations to chase a record seven titles.
Verstappen, 28, made his F1 debut in 2015 and won the first of his four consecutive titles in 2021.
He is still in with a long shot of winning a fifth title this year, which would bring him within two titles of the joint record held by Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
However, he has said his continued participation in F1 will depend entirely on whether a rules shakeup for 2026 means the cars are still fun to drive.
"My contract runs until 2028 but it [his future] will depend on the new rules in 2026, and if they are nice and fun," Verstappen told PA in an interview ahead of this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix.
"If they are not fun, than I don't really see myself hanging around.
"Winning seven titles is not on my mind. I know that there are three more years after this one, so it could be possible, but it is not something I need to do before I leave the sport.
"I can leave the sport easily tomorrow."
- Is it time for McLaren to prioritize Norris over Piastri?
- F1 title permutations: How Lando Norris can win it at Qatar
- Sebastian Vettel: Max Verstappen's F1 improvement is 'scary'
F1 will introduce new regulations next year aimed at making the cars 50 percent electric and 50 percent powered by sustainable fuels.
The regulations are expected to make energy management a key part of grand prix racing, and could also shake up the established order with Red Bull switching from Honda power to its own engine built in collaboration with Ford.
Verstappen, who became a father for the first time earlier thus year, has already shown interest in other forms of motorsport away from F1, including a victory in a sports car race at the famous Nordschleife circuit at the Nurburgring earlier this year.
He said he would have plenty to keep him occupied if he walked away from F1 before the end of his contract.
"I have a lot of other passions; other racing categories, I want to spend more time with the family, and live off my own schedule," Verstappen added. "And in my mind I know if I close the chapter, it is closed.
"I don't see myself stopping and coming back. Once I stop, I really stop."