Verstappen frustrated at being 'third-wheel' on a Mercedes date

Max Verstappen has vowed to keep pushing to interrupt Mercedes' "nice romantic dinner" and shake off his feeling of being a 'third-wheel' at the party.

Red Bull driver Verstappen currently sits third in the drivers' championship standings, 27 points behind second-placed Valtteri Bottas and 70 clear of Racing Point's Sergio Perez in fourth

On seven occasions this season Verstappen has stood beside Bottas and title-winner Lewis Hamilton but only once has the Dutchman been victorious.

"It is nice to be on the podium but at the end of the day it feels like third-wheeling, if you go out for dinner," said Verstappen. "It is not really lovely.

"I prefer to be the one having a nice romantic dinner instead of the third wheel.

"I mean, you just don't want to be walking around frustrated, trying to get results which are not possible.

"That is what I try to do, just keep pushing myself, keep trying to get the best possible results that are in the car and every weekend will be the same."

Verstappen finished third to Hamilton and Bottas in the 2019 standings and can again secure this position at the next race in Bahrain.

The 23-year-old, whose faint championship hopes evaporated in Imola when a tyre blew on his car, a race before Hamilton secured his record-equalling seventh crown, added: "I know I can't fight for the championship this year.

"Even though sometimes it looked like we were a bit closer but then also with the retirements we had, that very quickly put us out of the picture, so I enjoy now getting a third or a second.

"I mean, I was enjoying Imola a lot. I think finally, I was a bit closer and I could be within a tenth or two-tenths of them in terms of lap time and you are really motivated to stay with them and actually pass a car.

"Normally, they are just running away from me at three-or-four-tenths per lap so I am a bit in no-mans land, which is not what you want."

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