Verstappen jokes on Red Bull's engine search post-Honda: "I hope I'm not going to end up like Fred Flinstone and paddle it myself!"
Thursday 8 October 2020 18:38, UK
Max Verstappen has admitted that Honda's impending F1 exit has left him and Red Bull with "unknowns", but insists he is not considering his future with the team and is focused on finishing the engine partnership "in style".
Honda confirmed last week that they are to leave F1 after 2021 - a decision which will bring to an end a mixed seven-year return to the sport, and leave both Red Bull and AlphaTauri searching for new engine suppliers.
It also throws a spanner in the works to Red Bull's quest to claim back F1 titles and deliver a completive car for Verstappen, whose contract runs up until 2023 but who is arguably the sport's hottest property.
Team boss Christian Horner said there is no "engine-related" get-out clause in Verstappen's contract, while the Dutchman was tight-lipped when asked about his future by Sky F1 ahead of the Eifel GP.
"I don't speak about my contract and what's in there," Verstappen said.
"At the moment there are so many things still unknown, also for me. I'll let it up to the team to decide [about the next engine], because I'm not deciding, I'm just steering the car."
Verstappen, who has won four races since Red Bull's switch from Renault to Honda power last year, added on the Japanese manufacturer's exit: "I had a feeling that it was going that direction but it was of course still a shame.
"But there is also no point to be disappointed about it, we are still working together for another one and a half years. We are trying to get the best out of it, but also from their side they just keep on pushing. They're not just going to take their hands off now and they'll keep bringing upgrades next year.
"We'll definitely try to make the best of it to, let's say, finish it in style."
Verstappen, who was adamant that it "didn't make sense" to think about his future post-2021, also refused to get into a debate on which engine Red Bull could opt for next - with only three alternate providers (Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault) to turn to in F1 - in the press conference.
"I'm open to anything," he stated.
"After [2021] we've got the new regulations of the cars coming in so at the moment there are so many unknowns, it doesn't make sense to think about [what's next] anyway.
"I'm just concentrating on what I have to do, and that's try and drive the car as fast as I can... with an engine in the back. I hope I'm not going to end up like Fred Flinstone and paddle it myself!"
But he also insisted he doesn't "necessarily see" Honda leaving "as a negative" for Red Bull.
"But let's find out," he continued. "We learnt a lot from the different engine manufacturers we had so far, and at the moment it's unknown what we are going to do."
That sentiment was echoed by team-mate Alex Albon.
"If you look at the history of Red Bull, they've been very good at getting things to fit and working well with engine manufactures," he said. "So I don't see why it would be such a negative to not have that tailor-made engine."
