Max Verstappen has suggested Fernando Alonso is facing an easier call over his F1 future due to his age.
Like Alonso, Verstappen has not committed himself to a drive next year despite having a contract in place until the end of the 2028 campaign.
Both drivers have commented on their lack of enthusiasm for the new F1 regulations introduced this year.
Speaking last month, Alonso suggested his F1 future would be decided by his enjoyment of the car rather than Aston Martin's position in the pecking order.
Assessing the two-time champion's future, Verstappen told media including RacingNews365: “I fully agree with him. It is not what you want.
“Of course, Fernando is 45 so it’s probably easier for him to say ‘I quit’ because he has already done, basically his career. I would love to see Fernando race until he’s 60, but I don’t think that’s realistic in Formula 1.
“As a real racer, it’s tough and especially, of course, when you’re not enjoying the regulations, you’re not competitive at the moment, it’s a tough one.
“Because Fernando, of course, doesn’t deserve to be P21. Fernando deserves to be in the top five, minimum.”
Verstappen has been one of the most vocal critics this year of the new regulations and has also indicated in the past that they could sway him to walk away from the sport.
But with much of his career still ahead of him, Verstappen has suggested his case is does not easily compare to Alonso's.
“I’m of course 28, so it’s a little bit different,” he said. “I can easily stop, it’s not a problem, but I love racing.
“And I’m just trying to deal with what we have, even though what we have at the moment is not what I like.”
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