Why Verstappen won't emulate Hamilton with motorbike test

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc might have talked up their hopes of having a go on a MotoGP bike recently, but don't expect Max Verstappen to follow suit, with Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko having forbidden the Dutchman from trying the two-wheeled grand prix machines.

Leclerc was recently present at the Mugello GP, where he spoke of his determination to give the premier-class bikes a go in the future, while Hamilton has been even more hands-on.

The reigning F1 champion tested World Superbike machinery last year in Jerez and visited this year's MotoGP round in Qatar, where he claimed he was "building up" to testing the series' bikes.

Rumours have suggested he may have a ride swap organised with MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi for later this year.

However, Verstappen's hopes of following suit have been put firmly on the back burner by his boss.

"I forbid Max of course, because he is still not mature enough to do it in a safe way," Marko told Speedweek.

MotoGP is often held up as a series that F1 should look to follow suit from, with exciting races and multiple winners making recent campaigns thrills to the very end.

It is in some contrast to Mercedes, and particularly Hamilton's, recent dominance of F1, which Marko puts down to the F1 teams having too much power.

"The crux is that you always have to ask ten teams," he said. "You will never come to a joint decision. And what's completely wrong: the teams always pay attention to their own interests."

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