Johnny Herbert has pinpointed the ‘scary thing’ about Max Verstappen’s decision to remain in Formula 1 until 2030 at the very least.

Following months of unrest at Red Bull during the opening half of this year’s campaign, Dutch F1 fans rejoiced to hear Max Verstappen was remaining in the sport for at least four more years.

Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen have scored the most points since round 7/23 in Barcelona 🌟 How will the drivers’ standings finish?

Given the recent notion that 2030 will see V8 power units return to the sport, it now seems likely that the four-time world champion will actually remain in the pinnacle of motorsport for even longer, with Verstappen a keen admirer of the engine layout.

With the Dutchman’s future already planned out for now, Johnny Herbert has revealed what continues to scare him about Verstappen’s presence on the grid.

Johnny Herbert says Max Verstappen is ‘becoming more complete’ as an F1 driver

Despite being one of Verstappen’s biggest critics amid the Red Bull ace’s unhappiness with the 2026 rules, Herbert, like many other F1 pundits, can’t help but appreciate the skill set that Verstappen brings to the grid.

Herbert has even been on the wrong side of Verstappen’s fans, too, but his respect for the four-time world champion remains.

Who will complete a full set of wins on each F1 circuit first, Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen?

Both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen do not have wins at three circuits on the 2027 F1 calendar

“Max is still hungry for it,” the three-time Grand Prix winner recently told Vision4Sport, who offer luxury superyacht hospitality packages. “The scary thing for me is he’s still improving and becoming more complete. 

“What we saw recently was pure speed from Max. They’ve done upgrades in Baku, and that motivation is what drivers need: belief in the team. They were able to supply him the goods.

“He can see that when there is a problem, the team is still able to give him what he wants, and then he produces the goods. So yeah, he’s got at least another 10 years.”

Herbert’s prediction for Verstappen’s longevity may be a little too optimistic for the Dutchman’s liking, given his previous comments regarding a potential career in motorsports outside of F1.

Verstappen is currently getting his racing fix in the GT World Challenge as part of his own racing team, and is fully expected to take up full-time driving duties in touring cars once he calls it a day on his career in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Still, Herbert’s words will remain true. Verstappen seems to improve with every appearance on the top step of the F1 podium, and with 73 victories already to his name, it remains to be seen how many he will finish his career with.