Even more power for Verstappen in 2021: 'Engine is definitely stronger'

At the end of 2021 Red Bull Racing will be without an engine supplier, because Honda will stop their Formula 1 project. Annoying for the team, but they still have plenty of time to find a new partner. In the meantime Honda will continue to work on the engine for 2021 and it looks good according to Verstappen.

Stronger engine

At the press event of Red Bull, the Dutchman was asked about the new power source for next season. Verstappen was very optimistic about it. "He is in any case stronger. I can't go into too much detail, but it's a nice step forward. However, the others are not sitting still, so we will see next year. I think it's a nice step forward from our side."

The goal of both Honda and Red Bull Racing was to make Verstappen the youngest F1 champion ever this year. That's not going to happen anymore, so the hypothetical question is what if he had become champion. Would Honda have continued? "That is always speculating, you never know," said Verstappen.

More difficult to justify

Now that Honda's decision is final, Red Bull Racing are also talking at length about their feelings and suspicions. Christian Horner, for example, wrote in a column that he felt the departure was coming when Honda wanted to bring the engine forward for 2022. When asked, Verstappen admitted he feels differently about that.

"I don't think it had anything to do with that. At least, that's not how I talked to Helmut Marko about it. I felt it coming, but that's more than logical after the year we've had so far. Then it all becomes a bit harder and harder to justify," the Dutch driver of Red Bull Racing said.