Red Bull driver Max Verstappen says he is desperate to prove his true quality during the upcoming season after a disappointing 2017.

The Dutchman is about to embark on his fourth season in Formula One as Red Bull look to mount a more serious challenge to the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.

Verstappen, who is priced at 5.25 to win the Drivers’ Championship, burst on to the scene in 2016 when he was promoted to Red Bull from Toro Rosso, having won his first Grand Prix for the Milton Keynes outfit in Spain, and he finished his debut campaign fifth in the Drivers’ Championship.

However, Verstappen failed to build on that last season as he finished one place worse off in the overall standings after claiming 36 fewer points.

The 20-year-old did struggle with reliability issues in the first half of the campaign and, although he went on to pick up two race victories in the latter stages, it proved to be a frustrating season.

The highly-rated youngster insists he always wants to be best and hopes to display his full quality when the 2018 season gets underway.

Verstappen said: “I always think you have to think of yourself as the best. If you don’t, what’s the point of participating?

“The goal is to be the best and I have to prove it when I get the chance.

“That’s obviously depended on the car, but hopefully I’m able to prove myself more often.”