Jan Lammers: “At the start of his career René was sometimes told it was all thanks to his father, but at a certain point it becomes despite his father. Because having a lot of money these days is very relative. There are, for example, people for whom money plays no role, who buy their way in and fly everywhere by private jet. We have Lance Stroll in Formula 1, but in the pipeline there are another eight or so Lance Strolletjes on the way. So it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish yourself on the basis of talent. Up to now we’ve been able to compete normally, but that is something that is becoming exponentially more difficult. We don’t have a euro left. What’s more, we’re panting, running after the horse.”
– We’d already touched on Max Verstappen, on his role as an example and role model. But isn’t it, in a sense, also more complicated because companies initially want to be associated with Max?
René Lammers: “No, certainly not. Max has actually made the sport a lot bigger in the Netherlands. So that only helps us. Sponsors want to invest more in racing because of Max’s successes.”
Storytelling
Jan Lammers: “What I do notice is that many companies pride themselves on supporting young talent, but then they immediately run a cost‑benefit analysis. Well, that’s never going to fly. When a company supports young talent it demands a long‑term vision. And then, if it’s done properly, you’ll get a lot more back in the end. Supporting young talent in the first phase is largely storytelling and shows your character and ethics as a company. In any case, you shouldn’t jump in for short‑term gain.”
