Red Bull boss Christian Horner doesn't expect Max Verstappen to race into his 40s
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Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, has said that he does not expect Max Verstappen to follow in the footsteps of Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso by racing into his 40s.
Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull, has expressed doubts about whether his star driver, Max Verstappen, will race into his 40s like fellow double world champion Fernando Alonso, who is currently with Aston Martin.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Horner admitted that he does not know how long Verstappen's passion for racing will keep him in the sport, but added that Verstappen's love and passion for racing burns within him.
Horner said, "Max is his own man, and he is very strong in his opinions and his outlook on what he wants to do with his life. I don't see him being a Fernando Alonso and still racing at 41 or 42 years of age, or maybe not in Formula 1. But what his love and passion is, is racing, and if he is not racing on track at the moment, he is driving in the virtual world."
Verstappen made his debut for Toro Rosso at just 17-years-old in 2015, becoming the youngest driver to start an F1 Grand Prix. Now 25, he is in his ninth season in Formula 1, making him the sixth most experienced driver on the grid alongside Carlos Sainz and Kevin Magnussen. His contract with Red Bull expires in 2028.
Red Bull have made a fast start to their title defence, with Verstappen having won two out of three races this season in Bahrain and Melbourne. Sergio Perez won in Saudi Arabia. The performance of the RB19 has caught the eye of their competitors, with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton saying, "that's the fastest car I've seen compared to the rest."
Horner responded to Hamilton's comments, saying, "Well, it's obviously very flattering, particularly considering some of the cars that Lewis has driven in recent history, but, you know, we've got a great car. RB19 is a fantastic starting point for the season for us, but we're conscious it's a very long season.
"There's still 21 races to go, and six Sprint races, and we're conscious that big updates are coming for others in coming weeks as we head back to Europe. So, there's still a lot to do and an awfully long way to go," he added.
The next Formula 1 race will be happening on Sunday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the fast and treacherous Baku Street Circuit.