Whenever his own competition schedule allows, Joey Veerman never misses a Formula 1 race. The PSV midfielder started following the sport due to Max Verstappen‘s successes. He admits it took a while for him to become truly enthusiastic. “The first race I saw on TV was in Zandvoort, and I didn’t find it interesting at all,” he confesses.
Joey Veerman: “I watch purely for enjoyment. All those catchphrases, all that jargon, it goes over my head. Look, I know that the flap opens when he’s within a second of his predecessor and that he then has to accelerate. And I have a rough idea of how it works with tires and strategies, but I’m not a real expert.”
‘That Norris is often whining’
Joey Veerman continues: “The way Max often overtakes is magnificent. That’s why I enjoy watching him. He makes Formula 1 exciting. When you look at the second drivers of Red Bull, whether it’s Sergio Perez or Yuki Tsunoda, it’s a world of difference. It’s also incredible how far behind Max they drive. I’ve had discussions, even within our team, when I say that Max is simply the best by far. Because he always puts that car at the front and drives on the edge. Other guys can’t handle that. That Lando Norris, for example, he’s often whining because he finds it all too dangerous. But Norris was lucky that he had a faster car this year, otherwise he would never have become world champion. He became champion because of the car. And because Piastri has been falling short lately and he received a few gifts from the team.”
– As a top athlete, how do you view the phenomenon of team orders?
“For drivers, I imagine that’s very annoying. I don’t believe Max would ever give up his position, like Oscar Piastri did earlier this season in Italy after a slow pit stop by Norris. And I wouldn’t do it myself either. I’d rather have a fight. Get out of here!”
