What initially seemed to be a rather uneventful year took an unexpected turn thanks to Max Verstappen. Five editors and three columnists share their personal memories of Verstappen in 2025 in a short contribution. Part 1: reporter Frank Woestenburg, on a drink in Canada.
It’s Saturday afternoon in Montreal. The qualification for the Grand Prix is over for Max Verstappen, as are all other obligations afterwards. The same applies to me. Coincidentally, we both walk out of the paddock together after a hard day’s work.
Journalists
Casually, Verstappen asks how I’m doing and if I’m enjoying myself in Montreal. “Nice city, isn’t it?” he adds. I update him on how we journalists spend our evenings, often meeting for a beer or a drink to discuss the state of affairs both inside and outside the paddock.
This is Verstappen in a nutshell. Despite his successes on the track, he always shows interest in the well-being of others. And perhaps it’s my imagination, but the way he asks almost suggests a longing to venture into the city himself in the evening. For a drink, maybe even two.
On Sunday evening, Max Verstappen boards his own plane, heading home with a second-place finish under his belt. I wonder if he had a celebratory drink on board?
