Horner 'totally confident' Verstappen will remain with Red Bull

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Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner is confident his star driver Max Verstappen won't jump ship at the end of the year.

Speculation linking Verstappen to Mercedes has been ramping up lately with rumors of contacts between the Dutchman and the German manufacturer.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff denied the gossip, as did Verstappen who is contracted to Red Bull until the end of the 2020, although a potential performance clause could allow the 21-year-old to move on from the Milton Keynes-based outfit at the end of the year.

F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2019 Azerbaijan GP

However, Horner insists such an outcome is highly unlikely.

"Don’t always believe it," Horner said. "Max has got a contract, and it’s very clear what that position is, I’m totally confident he will be here next year."

Before Baku, questions also surrounded the future of Pierre Gasly who had been nowhere near performing at Verstappen's level.

The Frenchman stepped up his performance in Azerbaijan however, much to Horner's delight.

©RedBull

"He doesn’t have the result on paper yet" Horner told France's Auto-Hebdo.

"Pierre was quick in Q1 on Saturday. He drove a good race and should have been an easy P6 today from the pit lane which would have been a really strong result.

"His pace was very encouraging. We could see from the beginning of practice that he was much more comfortable and confident with the car.

"He knows he has delivered a much stronger weekend."

"He's coming out of this delicate period and gets a lot of support from us," added the Brit.

"He knows that we believe in him, it just takes a little while.

"We also can't forget that he has this very difficult barometer next door [Verstappen] who is one of the best on the grid."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.