Jac Orie is renowned for his scientific approach to sports. As the successful coach of Team Essent, which includes athletes such as Joep Wennemars and Suzanne Schulting, he closely follows data-driven sports like Formula 1. “I have used Max Verstappen as an example for my own athletes,” says Orie, whose Olympic speed skating season begins today with the Dutch National Distance Championships in Heerenveen.
– Max Verstappen is praised for often making the right decisions under pressure and bringing out the best in himself. This is also a factor in speed skating.
“Absolutely. In some cases, mental resilience is innate, but in all cases, it can be trained. However, you must be open to it and have the courage to make changes. Athletes have certain coping styles that serve as a safety net. Letting go of these is often the first step towards improvement. Sometimes they only take this step halfway, by still building in that safety net. Well, that won’t make you a world champion. It’s better to fall flat on your face trying something new, because that’s how you learn. In elite sports, it’s about recognizing the necessity to innovate yourself. And that requires courage.”
“I don’t know Max Verstappen personally, but like other champions, I believe he thinks in black and white, without getting bogged down in too many nuances. If you’re afraid to lose, winning becomes very difficult. Max dares to take risks. If you do that often enough, from a young age, and also accept the occasional mishap, then the learning curve is much steeper. He has learned a lot because he dares to expose himself. And with that approach, he also impresses others, so it works doubly. He just draws that to himself. In speed skating, I saw the same in someone like Sven Kramer. For the opponent, that’s difficult, they shrink a bit, especially if they’re at the other end of the spectrum. I have sometimes used Max as an example to my own athletes, because I am very charmed by his black-and-white approach, so the uncompromising.”
– Max Verstappen is in the process of making up a large deficit in the World Championship standings. He is the hunter, McLaren the prey. Is that easier?
“Yes, of course. The one who is in first place always has more to lose than the one who is coming up. That brings a different kind of pressure. And Max also occasionally throws verbal jabs that resonate with others. He gets under their skin, they feel the pressure and will continue to make mistakes. For that reason, I am convinced that Max will still become world champion.”
