Verstappen ‘not worrying’ about Red Bull F1 future

Max Verstappen insists he is “not too worried” about his Formula 1 future with Red Bull amid suggestions he is growing frustrated at being unable to challenge for world championships.

Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2020 and is arguably the most-sought after property on the F1 driver market, having already racked up seven grand prix victories in machinery not capable of fighting for titles.

The Dutchman has scored two wins so far this season in what has been a promising first year of Red Bull’s new engine partnership with Honda. After emerging as Mercedes' nearest challengers prior to F1's summer break, Red Bull has since fallen behind Ferrari in the pecking order, with Verstappen left disappointed by the team’s performance in Singapore and Russia.

“I was not really disappointed but I was of course not very happy but I think that’s pretty normal when for me it was a pretty boring race,” Verstappen replied when asked about his comments after the race in Sochi and how patient he is willing to be with Red Bull.

“I think you’ll always sound happier when you win or you have a really exciting race and you finish on the podium.

“Of course, maybe in the last few races they have not been our strongest but I believe we can do better and we are working very hard of course to make that happen.

“But I think it would be wrong if I would come out of the race in Sochi and be very happy to the cameras, so we just keep pushing very hard and for the future I don’t know.

“I’m also not too really worried about it, I just want to win and I will do my very best all the time and so is the team trying to do. Let’s see.”

Despite not being entirely satisfied with Red Bull’s recent results, Verstappen is hopeful of continuing a run of four consecutive podium finishes at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, which marks Honda’s home event.

“That’s definitely the target,” he said. “But first let’s wait and see how the weekend is going to go, also with the weather.

“But yeah, we’ll of course try to do our very best this weekend to have a good result.”