Father tips Verstappen to keep dominating F1
Oct.10 - Max Verstappen's father thinks the Red Bull driver and new back-to-back world champion could utterly dominate the next several Formula 1 seasons.
Even 25-year-old Verstappen's teammate Sergio Pérez had to admit after the Japanese GP that the Dutchman is currently close to untouchable.
"Once he feels comfortable, he drives at a different level," he said.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing during the 2022 F1 Grand Prix of Japan (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images)
Sunday's race at Suzuka was clouded by treacherous conditions, delays, new criticism of the FIA's race management in 2022 and initial confusion about whether Verstappen would be awarded the points he needed for the early title win.
But his father, former F1 driver Jos, says he was comfortably relaxing at home in Europe when the FIA finally declared that Verstappen had secured the title.
"I'm usually on site but I've been travelling for quite a while and entering Japan wasn't the easiest," he told Viaplay.
"The pressure last year became unbearable and when it was all over we were overcome with incredibly powerful emotions.
"It was very different this year as we knew the title would come sooner or later, we just didn't know when."
And now Verstappen senior thinks his son can continue to dominate - perhaps all the way to the end of the current regulations era in 2025.
"The rules will remain largely the same, the field will therefore come closer together and we will have better races," said Jos.
"But the strongest driver always floats to the top. If Red Bull continues like this, we will certainly have a nice five years."
Jos Verstappen, 50, manages his son's career in collaboration with his own former manager Raymond Vermeulen.
Vermeulen said: "I was asking the team where we stood with the title and they weren't quite sure.
"The screen was showing 'world champion 2022' so it was a bit of a strange conclusion - but in the end the title was coming anyway.
"It's really nice that it happened here," he said in Japan.
"What he was doing in the rain and those laptimes compared to Charles (Leclerc) and Checo (Perez) was in another category."
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Max is in another class in all conditions
Go Max
He has always possessed the necessary skills to succeed, however, Max's whole attitude has matured immensely since last year's WDC win. He is no longer the short tempered and petulant brat of a few years ago, which was reflected on by Christian Horner in a recent Sky interview. Max has improved to be the class of the field in every way ~ the consummate F1 competitor.
As long as Adrian Newey can continue to provide him with the most competitive car, Max will continue to dominate and win WDC's.
Well done to Max, Christian Horner, Adrian Newey and the whole Red Bull team, not forgetting the great support role played by Cheko.
Excuse me, but beblah beblah beblah...
Max received what has to be the worst welcome in Formula One history, with all the naysayers hoping that he would not last a season.
Oh, and he was a petulant child to booth. Bullcrap! All he did was to stand up to his talent while rules were being changed around him in an effort to keep him down.
Oh, so now we are going from Mad Max to Mature Max... All in a newfound effort by some to side with the winner. Max was always faster than anyone he came across, got into F1 without ever sitting in a F2 car, where drivers with rich daddies end their careers.
Ah, and now it's all thanks to the best car, and great support by Checo. Memories of Merc and support by Valter........
Sure, go on....
TP, I was one of those madmax naysayers. In retrospect (always the best view) I simply expected too much from a 17 yr old kid. The maturity observations are accurate and VER has become a better driver and better person.
And Honda
"I'm usually on site but I've been travelling for quite a while and entering Japan wasn't the easiest," he told Viaplay.
What, Jos, the Japanese wouldn't give entry to a wife beater? Sorry, just couldn't resist.
One more thing, Max's success is in spite of his father, not because of him.
That and the best car and wingman by far.
Maybe, maybe not.
It’s obvious to any one unbiased that Mv’s current success is entirely down to LH (andRB).With every year he becomes more like LH, he has learned so much from him and being able to race wheel to wheel with him last year at a level of intensity possibly never seen before will have given him an unrivalled opportunity to learn from the GOAT.
Keep it up Max, if MB can get their act together Lewis will need all the competition he can get.
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