Red Bull says 'no' to Verstappen MotoGP test

Red Bull has blocked Max Verstappen from trying his hand at the controls of a MotoGP bike.

At the recent end-of-year Honda 'thanks day' at Motegi in Japan, the reigning back-to-back Formula 1 champion met up with MotoGP star Marc Marquez and sat on his Honda two-wheeler.

"I love watching MotoGP and I like that there are so many teams capable of winning the race. I think it's fantastic," Verstappen, 25, is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"These guys are crazy. It's fascinating to see how strong they are, working the whole body. I would like to try one of these bikes for the speed they have on the straight, the power the bikes have.

"But my team won't let me," the Dutchman smiled.

"Of course, if I broke my leg now, I would time to recover," Verstappen smiled again.

When suggested that he might consider simply riding a bike slowly enough to guarantee his safety, the Red Bull driver added: "I know myself well.

"If I tried it, I would push. The problem is if something goes wrong."