Thierry Vermeulen has not been a professional racing driver for very long. He is currently learning the intricacies of the profession from Max Verstappen, the best mentor he could wish for. “He leads the team without being authoritarian,” Vermeulen says.
Start a conversation with Max and Jos Verstappen about the GT team of the four-time world champion, and their eyes immediately light up. Under the banner of Verstappen.com, the Formula 1 driver not only trains young colleagues, but as an enthusiast, he also loves to get behind the wheel whenever possible. For instance, last autumn, he won a 4-hour race on the famous Nordschleife with partner Chris Lulham.
Thierry Vermeulen, son of Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen, has been driving for the GT team of the four-time world champion for several years. Last season, he raced again in the DTM. He is extremely enthusiastic about the dedication, professionalism, and time Verstappen invests in ‘his’ project. Under his wing, both Vermeulen and the team are making significant strides. According to Vermeulen, Verstappen is not only an exceptional driver but also a gifted team leader.
Thierry, when did you think: I want to race too?
“It actually started in early 2020: Jos (Verstappen) was then fully engaged with his passion for GT cars, together with Victoria (his daughter) and Max. They did a number of track days with a Porsche Cup car, and I was invited to join them in Portimão, in Victoria’s Porsche GT4. That was my first experience in a serious race car. Two days of driving on that circuit, and after just a few laps, I thought: ‘I want to do this more often’. It was a moment when everything came together: fun, speed, technique… I was immediately sold. After those first days in Portimão, I did a drift training with GP Elite, and then a few extra track days followed. At the end of 2020, I decided to race a few races in the Benelux Sprint Challenge with a GT4 car. That was really the beginning of my career as a driver.”
You didn’t follow the usual path of many other racers.
“Not at all! Most racers start karting as children. I had only done some test days with Jos at the karting track in Genk around 2015, but that was nothing more than an introduction. Real racing, competition, strategy: I learned all of that from 2020 onwards. From the moment I stepped into the car in Portimão, the process of learning and development began. And then everything happens very quickly, which you’re not used to at all. It was really just about getting in the car. I even borrowed an old racing suit from Max Verstappen from his time at Toro Rosso.”
Jos Verstappen initially guided you, didn’t he?
“That’s correct. From the first day, Jos was very involved. He helped me with braking points, how to take the lines, and how to better understand the car. Everything was new to me, I hadn’t had any previous test days. Of course, I followed the sport, the real spark was already there. The first year was mainly about gaining experience: starting, defending, racing. I was able to convince my father with Jos’s help to do more. We had a sort of agreement that I would race in GT4 for a year. To have fun and also to learn more. From there, we would see if things were going well enough, if there was continuous progress. From 2021, the focus shifted more towards performance when I started racing in the Carrera Cup.”
