Marko: Max has a multi-year contract with Red Bull

Helmut Marko has hit back at reports suggesting that Red Bull could lose Max Verstappen to a key rival after just a single season in Formula 1.

Amid his meteoric debut this year at the unprecedented age of 17, young Dutchman Verstappen is already being linked with a sensational switch to Ferrari.

But Marko, boss of Red Bull's driver programme, said: "It makes no sense to speculate like that.

"Max has a multi-year contract with Red Bull," he told the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. "The plan is that he will drive next year with Toro Rosso also."

In fact, while the racing world gushes over Verstappen and also the 2015 Toro Rosso car, Marko is even slightly critical after the British grand prix weekend.

"Max was very good on Friday and on Saturday morning, but not so good in qualifying and the race," said the Austrian.

"Yes he had bad luck on Saturday with a technical problem, but a lot also has to do with experience. It is not so important to be P3 on Friday morning for example. In general, I think at Toro Rosso they need to become better at building up over a weekend," Marko added.