Verstappen: Renault should be better in 2018

Max Verstappen thinks that the Renault engines within his Red Bull vehicles should have improved by 2018, but admits he does not know how his team will perform next season as he is in the dark about what improvements are currently being made by competitors.

Verstappen has a flourishing reputation in Formula One and is viewed by many as a future world champion having already won three Grand Prix flags at the age of just 20. He is excited about the future with Renault engines but remains wary of speculating as to how Red Bull will perform in 2018.

"It's still difficult to say what we can expect," Verstappen told his official website verstappen.nl.

"They say it looks positive, but you do not know what the competition is doing.

"But I hope we are involved from the beginning rather than having to catch up again, even if that was not intended. It should also be a lot better on the engine side, so I'm curious about what we have."

It is a tumultuous time in Formula One at the moment with new owners Liberty Media proposing new changes for the future including several engine alterations. Part of the change is the introduction of the F1 'Halo' which forms part of the chassis and is designed to stop larger pieces of debris such as tyres hitting the driver on the head following collisions. Verstappen, however, is not a fan, even if he does not harbour any ill-feeling towards the new F1 owners.

"I don't like it at all," he proclaimed.

"I'm also not looking forward to driving with it. It just doesn't belong on a formula one car."

As for Liberty, Verstappen said: "They are Americans, so they want to do things a little differently.

"But so far I have no problems with them. I think it's all going well but I'm curious about what is coming. The paddock is a bit more open already, so that's always nice."