At 28 years old Max Verstappen is already looking back on an impressive and successful career in Formula 1. Since his debut the Dutchman has won four world championships with Red Bull and sits third on the list of drivers with the most Formula 1 victories. Increasingly the conversation turns to his future, not least because he himself is exploring horizons beyond Formula 1. Still, he hopes the best is yet to come.
In an interview with Tag Heuer, a key sponsor of Red Bull, Verstappen reflects on his F1 career. What set him apart from other drivers in recent years? “Good drivers aren’t always at one hundred percent,” he said, strikingly. “That’s something I trained a lot on with my father during karting: making sure I had that extra bit of capacity. Many drivers can be very fast and very good, but they’re always operating at their maximum. The very best drivers are just as quick, but have that little extra that lets them make the difference in the tight races.”
Alongside his F1 career Max Verstappen is also working on a future in endurance racing. The Limburg native sees opportunities there to mentor young talent, including in a managerial role. “I love racing as a driver in Formula 1, but I don’t think I’ll ever act as a manager there,” he admitted. “Within endurance I can see that happening, also because I can create opportunities for young drivers who don’t have the means or the chances to get into a real race car. One of my goals has always been to get a sim racer into the real world. That already happened this year and he’s doing very well. I’d like to build those kinds of projects further.”
Is the best still to come?
Many young sim racers already idolize Max Verstappen. The four-time world champion was asked about his legacy and the notion that in twenty to thirty years he will likely be mentioned in the same breath as the greatest drivers of all time. “No idea, I don’t really know what I’ll be doing then,” he laughed. “But those four titles are forever; nobody can take them away from me. Racing will always be an important part of my life. And as a Dutch driver I hope that, even when I stop, new talent will rise to continue representing national motorsport and keep the love for racing alive.”
On his own qualities: “Sometimes I still surprise myself,” he concluded with a grin. “You come out of a race and think: ‘Okay, that went pretty well.’ The question is whether that drive and hunger to perform will remain. I don’t know. Of course I hope there’s plenty of room for progress over the next five years. But that depends; a lot of things have to fall into place again.”
