Verstappen reminds his father who's in the driver's seat

40

Max Verstappen dismissed Red Bull exit rumors fueled by his father on Twitter recently, insisting that when it comes to his future, he's the one in the driver's seat.

Last week, Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko expressed his fears that Verstappen could walk away from the Milton Keynes-based outfit if it can't consistently fight at the front of the field.

And Jos Verstappen retweeted the article which quoted Marko, leading credence to the possibility his son could call it a day with Red Bull and Honda.

However, the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing charger dismissed the third-party talk.

F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2019 Canadian GP

"There were a bit more things said in the article… I’m the driver, not my dad," said Verstappen

"I always said I’m enjoying myself. Of course, we all know that we need to do better but I believe in the project that we are in with Honda.

"We are just working hard now to step up the performance and we will see in the upcoming races where we will be.

"If you get a bit more power, balance in the car, then it looks a bit different."

Ahead of last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, in which he finished fifth, Verstappen was asked how long he would remain committed to Red Bull in its current winless state.

"I’m not even thinking about that," said the Dutchman.

"At the end of the day it’s not easy, as you see with Ferrari as well, to close the gap.

"Mercedes is at the moment just doing a very good job but I feel very good in the team and it feels like the place to be at the moment. I’m not even thinking about those things.

"I feel good within the team as well I feel very relaxed and I think that also helps.

"You spend a lot of time with each other already over the years so you get to know each other better. Communication is going very well and I’m having a good time.

"We are working hard to improve, we know that we have to improve.

"I think that’s not a secret but we also knew that from the beginning of the year, so it is not like a big shock what is happening now."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.