Max Verstappen has admitted he came close to stepping away from Formula 1 before extending his deal with Red Bull last month, despite holding discussions with rival teams.
Speaking to German publication Bild after agreeing a deal until 2030, the four-time world champion discussed retirement thoughts and confirmed talks took place with McLaren.
"You have to take every conversation with another team seriously," Verstappen said. "But in the end, I was closer to quitting Formula 1 than to signing with another racing team."
"You either quit or you don't, so it's a 50/50 decision," he added. "I seriously considered calling it quits. But at the end of the day, I just love racing."
The 28-year-old won four consecutive F1 titles from 2021 to 2024, but remains winless this season. He sits sixth in the standings following Sunday's runner-up finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, 147 points adrift of Mercedes leader Kimi Antonelli.
Verstappen stated he did not sign his new Red Bull agreement last month owing to any external pressure.
"If both parties want to work together long-term, why wait?" he said. "The criticism doesn't bother me. I don't care what others think of me.
"The only thing that matters is how my family, my management, the team, and I feel about it. I have to be able to get along with myself, and I can."
Verstappen added that he has nothing left to prove to himself in F1.
"I'm a four-time world champion, and after my first title, I'd already achieved everything I ever wanted," he said. "I don't race for the history books, but for myself, the team, and our fans. Because of that, the decision was ultimately made quickly."
Unlike Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, 45, Verstappen does not anticipate competing into his 40s.
"I don't think so, but that's impossible to predict," he said. "I'll keep racing as long as I enjoy it."
The F1 calendar resumes in two weeks at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while a late call is expected to be made on whether the season can finish with races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi amid concerns over the ongoing Middle East conflict.
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