Max Verstappen has doubted Aston Martin Red Bull Racing's ability to provide him a championship winning car in 2020, saying that the team are "not where we need to be."
Verstappen has won two races this season, but since the summer break he was been less competitive than he would have liked, finishing on the podium just once, scoring P3 in Singapore.
Verstappen's dad Jos expressed his concern with the team recently and now Max has had his say.
The 22-year old told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: “I think it’s clear that I sometimes overperformed this year.
“People often think ‘well Red Bull are not that bad, that team is on the same level as the rest.’ In my opinion however, we are often a little further away than it seems.
“Before Singapore, I thought we could compete for the world title next season. Maybe not anymore.
“As a team, we must try to think further ahead than we already have. We are not where we need to be. We have not yet taken the steps needed to be competitive next year.”