Verstappen to get hands on Honda-powered Red Bull for first time

Max Verstappen will get his hands on a Honda-powered Red Bull car for the first time later this week, as he heads to the team's Milton Keynes Headquarters for simulator runs with the 2019 machinery.

All of people's eyes will be on whether Red Bull can challenge the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari next season, after ending their 12-year spell with Renault.

The real first test will be in Barcelona for the pre-season testing in February, however, Verstappen will have something of an idea with the 21-year-old set to get a run in the simulator under his belt.

"I am going to sit there in the simulator, it will be the first time with Honda," Verstappen said to Servus TV. "Everything is going very smoothly and everyone is looking forward to the first year with Honda, at the factory I feel that everyone is even more motivation than before."

Verstappen has been tipped to challenge next season, as long as Honda can provide Red Bull with a competitive package.

The Dutchman was perhaps the standout driver after the summer break, with only world champion Lewis Hamilton outscoring the Red Bull driver, with Verstappen eventually finishing fourth in the championship.

Last season, Renault provided Red Bull a package, that sometimes would be able to compete - but it was far too inconsistent, and most of the time, especially in Daniel Ricciardo's case, unreliable.