Verstappen faces uncertainty: 'Will be very different'

Max Verstappen hopes to maintain his great form of last season, but for that, he needs a good engine. Despite Honda's departure from Formula 1, Scott Mitchell expects this to be the case.

The Dutchman got the hands out last year by overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the last lap at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It was a crowning achievement for Honda, which had worked hard in recent years to bring Red Bull to a higher level. However, it also meant the last race in Formula 1 for Honda.

Next season, the Austrian racing team will take over the engine itself. Although the team faces a big challenge, Mitchell thinks Red Bull can handle it. "It’s clear that the first ‘Red Bull Powertrains’ engine will be very different," he concludes at The Race. "It’s a works Honda engine with a big ongoing budget attached in an engine freeze era."

Despite this, Mitchell is confident that Verstappen is in for another rock-solid season, where he can compete with the top teams. However, the new regulations mean that it seems McLaren will also be competing for the world title, making winning the world championship even more of a challenge for Verstappen.