Max Verstappen is refusing to allow himself to think about the possibility of replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for next year with the new campaign yet to begin.
Although Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull through to 2023, the deal contains performance-related clauses that could open the door for Mercedes to step in should the current seven-time F1 champion call it a day.
Asked if he had an eye on Mercedes and his thoughts on replacing Hamilton should Red Bull fail to provide him with a title-challenging car this season, Verstappen replied: "At the end of the day, I don't know what Lewis is going to do.
"I just focus on myself. I'm very focused on this year and trying to make it a success. It's so early in the season, with only a shakedown [of the RB16B at Silverstone], that those kinds of things I'm not really thinking about at this stage."
While recognising Red Bull has to provide him with a car to challenge Mercedes and Hamilton, he also appreciates what is required from his personal perspective.
"‘What can I do?’" questioned Verstappen. "It is just looking back at races, analysing weekends and stuff like that. Sometimes just looking back at a race you can see stuff.
“You can also hear stuff from other teams, what they say, and I’m more about improving driving-wise, not fitness-wise.
“It’s never good enough. Every year you need to step up again, try to be even better in qualifying, try to be more consistent in the race, try to be even better on tyres, try to be even better in setting up the car.
“But this is a natural process and it is not something I can pinpoint. It just happens for me naturally but also you can rewind in your head sometimes a race weekend.”