Jos Verstappen expresses pride in his son Max Verstappen‘s achievements throughout the Formula 1 season. He notes that he is not alone in this sentiment. “People are starting to realize how special Max is. Thanks to him, Formula 1 has regained some of its vitality this season,” says the senior Verstappen.
While Jos Verstappen is understandably proud of his son’s sporting achievements, he is particularly proud of his personal development.
Jos Verstappen: “Max continues to show how special he is. And he remains a sweetheart. I sincerely mean that. Max is very pleasant company. And you know what’s most important: he keeps his feet on the ground. When Max walks into the paddock, he still greets those who were there for him ten years ago. Believe me, there are people who walk through the paddock very differently… Max is just himself and very normal.”
What will the sport do if he decides to quit?
“Ask Stefano (Domenicali, editor’s note), haha. I don’t know. People are starting to realize how special Max is, thanks in part to him, Formula 1 has regained some of its vitality this season. Because without Max, the championship would be a bit duller. Now it has something extra, because Max is involved. You see that with other teams too: They don’t take Red Bull into account, they take Max into account.”
And Max is still in the title race.
“I can imagine that there is some nervousness at McLaren, as this may be the only chance for both drivers to win a world title. You never know if you’ll be in that position again, right? But it’s as Max says: you either become champion or you don’t. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll try again next year.”
