Jos and Max Verstappen successfully cracked the code to Formula 1 racing. Their success can be attributed to four key components: talent, funding, upbringing, and technical acumen. Giedo van der Garde, Tom Coronel, Jan Lammers, and Jeroen Bleekemolen, four fathers with children in racing, share their insights on the sporting legacy of Jos and Max Verstappen. “The positive momentum in auto racing is solely thanks to Max,” they say.
The full story featuring Van der Garde, Coronel, Lammers, and Bleekemolen is available in the special Father’s Day edition. Here’s a brief excerpt featuring Tom Coronel discussing the theme of upbringing.
Tom Coronel’s Commitment to His Son’s Racing Career
Tom Coronel has pledged his commitment to his son, Rocco, for the next four years. He has told his son, “You focus on winning races, I’ll handle the rest. For four years, I will do everything for him: arranging and coordinating things. I spend three days a week on this, but we’re going all-in. I find it enjoyable, there’s so much more potential here… I won’t stop racing myself, but I will invest more energy in Rocco.”
Overcoming Challenges in Auto Racing
Coronel acknowledges the difficulties in auto racing, particularly in managing aspects such as budgeting. To address this, he set up a share plan around Rocco last year, creating a stable foundation that eliminates the need for annual fundraising. Currently, there are eight shareholders who have invested a fixed amount, with two shares still available. If Rocco starts earning money in the future, the shareholders will benefit. However, Coronel notes that some investors are not in it for the money: they believe in Rocco and the plan.
The High Cost of Progress in Auto Racing
Coronel believes that it is virtually impossible to advance in auto racing without ten million. If you can’t arrange that, you’ll never drive Formula 1. He observes that the sport is filled with rich kids. Rocco is not one of them, which is why they are arranging things with partners. What helps enormously now is that the sport is in such a positive flow, and Coronel credits this to Max Verstappen. He wonders when they will also succeed, attributing the chances of success to thirty percent his efforts, thirty percent Max’s influence, and forty percent Rocco’s talent.
