Strong-willed Verstappen won't overstay F1 welcome, says Red Bull boss Horner

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.

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 he 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."

An experienced campaigner

Verstappen debuted 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 F1, making him the sixth most experienced driver on the current grid alongside Alonso and Lewis Hamilton. His contract with Red Bull expires in 2028.

Red Bull has 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."

READ: Recent history refutes Lewis Hamilton's claims that 'Red Bull is the fastest' car

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