Max Verstappen has “got to think about himself” as Red Bull F1 future examined

2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button believes Max Verstappen is in a “tricky” regarding his future with Red Bull given their drop in on-track performance.

Verstappen clinched his fourth F1 title last time out at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The Dutchman won seven of the opening 10 races to give himself a commanding championship lead.

However, since the end of June, Verstappen has taken just one victory amid McLaren and Ferrari’s resurgence, while Mercedes have featured at the front infrequently.

With the regulations remaining stable over the winter, it’s expected to be incredibly tight at the front between the top four teams.

Verstappen has insisted being in the fastest car is his top priority, but Red Bull’s wobble might be a cause for concern.

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Button examined Verstappen’s future and the chances of him potentially leaving Red Bull.

“They’re probably the third-best or fourth best team at the moment,” Button said. “It is tricky. Max said we’ve not had the best car since the seventh or eighth race but they still haven’t closed on me in the championship. Maybe he’s making more of the difference. They are still able to get the maximum out of the car every weekend.

“Even if not a win. They’re maximising what they have and I don’t think the other teams are doing that as much on a given weekend. As a team, they’re still great but they just don’t have the performance in the car like we’ve expected over the last three and a half years.

“If they start like they are now it puts a lot of pressure on drivers to maximise every weekend. Maybe he will look elsewhere. They’ve given him so much over the last few years in terms of performance. It’s always a tricky one for a driver. He doesn’t want to leave a team that’s given him so much but he’s got to think about himself.”

Verstappen has remained consistent in stating he won’t race in F1 into his 40s.

Button is confident Verstappen will continue racing albeit outside of F1.

“I think there’s two different types of F1 drivers. There’s the F1 drivers that are F1 drivers,” Button explained. “That’s all that matters to them. When they step away from the sport, they won’t race anymore. They will sit on a beach somewhere or find another job that interests them. For Max and others like myself, we love motor racing.

“It’s not just F1. Max won’t step away from winning, he will step away from F1. He will go and race… he’s talked about doing endurance racing, maybe Le Mans, Daytona. Maybe it will just be sim racing, who knows. He will still be there fighting for wins. That’s not going to change.

“Just the environment will be change. F1, it’s the pinnacle, it really is. But there’s a lot more pressure on your shoulders than in another categories. A lot more eyes on you. Who knows. Maybe this will be his last contract within F1. He will see out his contract and move away. Who knows. He will be racing for a very long time. Maybe in a different capacity.”