The spotlight in the Formula 1 theatre of self-glorification holds no allure for him. Only a handful of insiders can truly claim to have contributed to the success of Max Verstappen. Richard Pex is one of them, but the Limburger never steps into the limelight. Today, part 2 of a special two-part series. ‘I knew that the bond with the Verstappens would be eternal.’
Written by Ivo Op den Camp.
From the get-go, Max Verstappen was fast, demonstrating his famed ruthlessness at a young age and quickly measuring up to the absolute world top in karting. This was not achieved without struggle. The competition watched in disbelief, leading many to suspect foul play. Jealousy reared its head, but it was notably absent in the one person who should have been most affected: Jorrit Pex. “Jos and I often watched in disbelief at how fast Max was going. Jos would compare Max’s data with Jorrit’s and point out the mistakes he was making. Max often sought out discussion, did not hide, and would then talk to Jorrit. He recently said in an interview, ‘I learned a lot from Jorrit.’ I think that’s quite beautiful.”
There was no jealousy because Jorrit is characterologically different from Max. “Jorrit also said: give Max the best material. He needs to become world champion. That’s how he was. Jorrit had no problem with it at all. He wished it for Max. I also noticed that Jorrit is more of a homebody. He likes to go out, but he also enjoys being at home a lot. Since he had once indicated that he wanted to run the company with Yard, the choice was clear. There was never any envy. Not from me either. I was there for everything, experienced it all, and it was fantastic.”
Pure Talent
Richard and Jos discovered firsthand that Max Verstappen had that little bit extra. “Jorrit and Max were sparring with equal karts. Engines that ran just as hard, same weight, no difference at all. And yet, Max was always a tad faster on the straight stretch. If you didn’t know better, you’d think: he has a better engine. I started to doubt myself, and Jos wanted to know for sure. ‘You know what,’ said Jos, ‘we’re going to swap those engines’.”
Nothing changed. Max was still a bit faster. It meant that Max carried more speed out of the corner and therefore reached top speed sooner. How he does that, I don’t know. That’s pure talent. You still see it with him now, even in Formula 1. Max had a good engine, but not better than his competitors. It was purely Max. He had and still has that little bit extra. Tyre management, cornering technique, attacking, defending, Max mastered everything to perfection. He had good stuff, but he didn’t become European and world karting champion because he had the best material.”
The straightforwardness of the Verstappens is not universally appreciated. In Formula 1, with all its egos, disagreement is never far away. Conflicts lurk in a world where competition is razor-sharp. Jos was (is) extremely black and white. Max accepts a shade of grey now and then, but only if he is completely convinced of his wrong. How did Richard Pex manage to never let the powder kegs explode? The Limburger laughs. “I read or hear stories and I think: how do they come up with that? Yes, Jos was tough, but I’ve never seen Jos give Max a slap. And I was there for everything.”
“I have a connection with Jos. We are real friends, through thick and thin. We’ve experienced and discussed all the ups and downs. We slept together in the bus, often in each other’s wake 24/7. Of course, I sometimes thought: how are we going to manage this? Jos was not the easiest, but it was always talked out and resolved. And that makes us both proud. We have, I think, quite the same character: honest, straightforward. We didn’t always agree with each other, but that often happened to increase the pressure. Then I would say: ‘Jos, what you’re doing now, it’s not working’. Oh yeah, he would then say, and start working like a man possessed to prove the opposite.”
Richard Pex’s Experience in Abu Dhabi
When Max claimed the world karting title and made the transition to car racing, Richard Pex’s life changed dramatically. “That was the end of karting for me. Stan took over the team and runs it in an incredibly professional manner. The other two boys manage the business. It was done, mission accomplished. But I knew that my connection with the Verstappens would last forever.”
At Max’s invitation, Richard and Stan – his best friend – were guests in Abu Dhabi in 2021 for the thrilling finale of the duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. “I have to be careful now, or I’ll become very emotional. Nothing will ever top that experience. To have been a part of it… wow. Max said beforehand: ‘You and Stan are coming with me to Abu Dhabi’. Yes, you never forget that. Driving together to the circuit. Talking about karting and the old days. On the day of the race, Max said: ‘Richard, this is the big day. I’m going all out. It’s going to be very tough, but you never know. And then it happened. That last lap, I knew: he’s going to take it.”
Afterwards, the tears flowed. “I saw the whole story unfold again. Max on that podium, Jos kneeling before him. That look between the two of them. I saw those ice-cold hands again, those tears in his eyes when Jos had sent him back out onto the track in the rain and cold in Genk. We don’t see Max very often anymore, but that will change. I’m sure he still considers his karting days the best time of his life, not now. When the helmet goes on, he’s the driver, but all the circus around Formula 1 doesn’t interest him.”
Rally
Richard Pex can look back with satisfaction. His sons have found their place, and in the world of sports, he has stormed and conquered the peaks with Max and Jos. But there’s no time for resting. The karts have been exchanged for rally cars. “Of course, I saw Jos much less from the moment Max Verstappen entered motorsports, but we called almost every day. Even when Max was in Formula 1. We discussed everything, but I missed the camaraderie. We had such fun. I did go with Jos to drive Porsches on circuits, but after seven or eight times, we wondered: is this it? Then Jos said: ‘Let’s rent a rally car and try that’. He asked if I wanted to join, and after an hour we knew: this is it.”
That was three years ago and it’s going great. The enthusiasm has remained. He called me on a Sunday evening. Some part was ready. We could pick it up in France. ‘Shall we go now?’, he asked me. I was supposed to go out to dinner with my wife, but a little later we were on our way to France, driving 750 kilometers, a simple hotel, a few hours of sleep, pick up the stuff and back again. Old times are reliving, but now without the children. Letting go was difficult at first, but now we have a new passion.”
Final Words
Richard Pex has experienced it all. No one knows Max Verstappen better than this Limburger – apart from father Jos, of course. “During karting, I already said: Max makes the difference and if he gets into Formula 1 and has the right material, it’s: start, go and done. That’s how it was and that’s how it still is.”
