Motor racing-Verstappen says he is more than halfway through at 200

By Alan Baldwin

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (Reuters) - Max Verstappen is set to start his 200th Formula One race in front of his home Dutch fans on Sunday, at the age of just 26, but Red Bull's triple world champion has no intention of doubling the tally.

Verstappen gave a blunt 'no' when asked on Thursday whether he saw himself reaching 400, a number well within his reach considering Fernando Alonso is still racing at 43 and Lewis Hamilton at 39.

"Nice and easy. So we passed halfway for sure," added the champion, whose Red Bull contract runs to 2028.

Verstappen made his debut in 2015 as the youngest ever Formula One driver at the age of 17 years and 166 days.

He became the youngest race winner in 2016 at 18 years and 228 days and is also the youngest ever points scorer and podium finisher as well as the youngest to reach 200 races.

"It's been already, of course, an incredible ride," he added. "200, I mean, it doesn't feel like 200 but of course we're doing a lot of races now in a year, so you add them quite quickly."

This season has a record 24 races, far more than even a decade ago.

Verstappen said he wanted to see how new regulations, due in 2026, worked out and would keep everything open on his future plans.

Asked to pick a highlight, Verstappen settled on his first victory -- with Red Bull in Spain -- and then the first championship in Abu Dhabi in 2021.

That win was a controversial one, coming after a late change to the safety car procedure while Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton was heading for an eighth title.

Verstappen is unbeaten at Zandvoort, winning from pole position all three races held there since the circuit returned to the calendar in 2021, but he expected to be up against it on Sunday.

Mercedes have won three of the last four races and McLaren may have an even quicker car, with Red Bull on a four race losing streak.

"I'm not coming into this weekend saying that we're going to win the race," he said.

"I just want to have a clean weekend, understand the car a bit more, learn from it.

"Of course, we analysed a lot over the break and (will) try to do things maybe a bit different or better. And we'll find out, of course, over the weekend how that will go."

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)