2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button believes Max Verstappen may consider his future with Red Bull should they fail to challenge for the title this season.
The Dutchman is set to lead the charge for the Milton Keynes-based outfit in 2018, following the departure of Daniel Ricciardo, and expectations are increased based on the progress made by new engine supplier Honda in the past year.
However, it’s not known if the performance or the reliability will be enough to compete with Ferrari and Mercedes regularly and that could pose a dilemma for Verstappen, who is establishing himself as one of the top drivers on the grid.
“It’s tricky with Max,” Button told Sky Sports. “He’s always moving forward and he’s always looking for something else. He jumped into a Red Bull and won his first race.
“This year is a really important year for him to keep it moving. He has to be fighting for the championship or I think he will start asking questions about where he should be in the future.”
It wouldn’t be the first time the 21-year-old had considered his options either, as he was believed to be in contact with Mercedes in 2017 before re-signing with Red Bull until the end of 2020.
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Button though does think Verstappen has a strong chance of competing against Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, thanks to the new aero rules coming in this year.
“There are so many changes at the moment and that’s exactly what the sport needs,” last year’s Super GT champion said.
“I think we will have three teams battling at the front and, if we do, there will be some fantastic fights.”