Scheckter-like Verstappen says that 2018 is the key to his Red Bull future

Max Verstappen believes that 2018 will be a key season for Red Bull Racing and his own future in Formula 1. In 2017, Verstappen has suffered from a dreadful year, retiring from five of the first 11 races of the season. This has led to speculation that he is being lured away from Red Bull, being attracted by Ferrari due to its superior on-track performance.

Visiting the DTM race at Zandvoort last weekend however, Verstappen told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he is happy where he is: "I've always said I have no reason to leave my current team if I have a competitive car. At this moment we are not where I want, but it does not mean I want to leave now. If in two or three years we do not make progress, then it would be a different story. I think next year we will understand what the future will hold for us," he said.

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Talking of the present, Verstappen played down his chances at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix which is recognised as his 'home' event due to him being born in Hasselt which is north-west of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

"Mercedes have the best engine," he said. "We continue to develop the car, but everyone else does too. In the engine area, we do not have much to deal with, unlike other teams, so we have to do it all with aero."

Since joining Formula 1 in 2015, Max Verstappen has been tipped to be the next big thing and has been compared to the likes of Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. 1979 world champion Jody Scheckter has also praised the flying Dutchman, seeing similarities between himself at the 19 year old:

"Yes, he reminds me of myself in the beginning, although he is perhaps stronger than I was," Scheckter told Italy's La Repubblica. "I'd also like to say I was like Hamilton, but I had accidents that he never had."

"Vettel is very strong now and also earlier when the cars were different, but three years ago Ricciardo [Verstappen's team mate] beat him. As for Alonso, he is good on the track but he behaves incorrectly, such as his year [2007] at McLaren," he concluded.

Verstappen's difficult year so far has left him in sixth place in the Drivers' Championship with only 67 points, 50 behind Daniel Ricciardo who currently lies in fourth.

Chris Soulsby