'I was Verstappen's ally at Red Bull – I think he's going to retire this year'
Max Verstappen will retire from Formula 1 at the end of this season if Calum Nicholas' predictions are accurate. The 27-year-old Red Bull star, with four world titles under his belt, is believed by long-time mechanic Nicholas to be satisfied with his legacy if he can secure a fifth title by the end of the year.
During a round of golf with Lucas Stewart on his YouTube channel, Nicholas was asked to "fill in the blank" regarding how many F1 titles Verstappen will retire with. His response was simply: "Five."
Elaborating on his prediction, Nicholas boldly added: "I think Max is going to win the Drivers' this year, and then I think he's going to call it a day."
When questioned if he had insider knowledge that racing fans lacked due to his close ties with Verstappen, Nicholas replied: "No, I definitely don't know anything," maintaining an air of mystery around his prediction. He then added: "To not back Max is just lunacy."
It comes as Nicholas announced before the start of the 2025 season that he would be stepping away from the garage to take on a new role as a Red Bull Racing ambassador, concluding his 13-year career as a Formula 1 mechanic, reports the Express.
In a statement at the time, he said: "The time has come to hang up my race suit. It's a career that I'm incredibly proud to look back on.
"To all of those who've been a part of this amazing journey, thank you! For the last decade of my life I've been very fortunate to work with an incredible group of people, in a team like no other. So, today, I'm very pleased to announce that I'll be taking on an exciting new role, as a Red Bull Racing ambassador!"
Securing a fifth consecutive F1 title appears to be a Herculean task for Verstappen at the moment, given his unusual year so far.
At present, the defending champion is third in the Drivers' Standings with just two victories and four podium finishes, trailing McLaren's Oscar Piastri by 49 points.
Meanwhile, Red Bull are feeling the heat from a formidable McLaren in the race for the Constructors' Championship - currently lagging behind the seasonal leaders by 218 points.
Due to receiving three penalty points on his FIA Super Licence at the Spanish Grand Prix following his collision with George Russell, Verstappen is just one point away from a one-race ban which could further dent his chances of vying for the world title this year.
He will now have to maintain a clean record at the upcoming Canadian and Austrian Grand Prix to avoid such a scenario.
Under contract with Red Bull until 2028, Verstappen has also previously mentioned that he doesn't aspire to follow in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by racing into his late 30s and 40s.
However, he is yet to announce a specific retirement date as speculation regarding his future continues to mount. After a 10th place finish at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Verstappen will be hoping for a stronger performance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday.
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