F1 News
Will the Verstappen's compete at Le Mans? 'Let the young men drive it!'
- Tygo Bekkema
While Max Verstappen has been topping Formula 1 timesheets for years on end, former F1 driver and father Jos has enjoyed something in another motorsport. In an interview with Verstappen.com, the 52-year-old Dutchman talks about how he found his way into rallying, and why his love for it means that Max's Le Mans dream with his father may never come true.
For Jos Verstappen, training Max was like life's work. In the meantime, his son has been proudly leading F1 for quite some time now, giving the racing bug back to his father. The former Formula 1 driver has worked his way up to becoming a regular podium finisher in the Belgian Rally Championship (BRC).
But acquiring that status was definitely not without a struggle. "A lot has obviously happened in the meantime and I have gained the necessary experience. It's more professional now and we have the car in better shape. I also have a better co-pilot. We try to make progress every time," Verstappen senior began.
Both Verstappen's learn fast
At the beginning of his rallying career, Verstappen says he mainly struggled to process his co-pilot's instructions properly, but today that is much better. "In the beginning that was the most difficult, but nowadays that goes automatically. Renaud (Jamoul) talks to me, but I don't have to think about that anymore. So I can focus more on driving the car," He explained.
Verstappen is now a regular towards the top of the Belgian Rally Championship, but he doesn't feel that a step up is necessary. "We are competing for prizes, that's what makes it fun. I don't drive around lost, because then the fun does pass quickly. I have no ambitions to drive WRC, that's too time-consuming for me. We look at what are nice rallies and I like a trip abroad now and then."
No more Le Mans?
Even though the rally races in Belgium are slightly less time-consuming, a lot of time, of course, still goes into them. "Think of making notes and learning from them, watching your own videos and those of competitors. In addition, the car also has to be prepared every time. Fortunately, that is manageable because the team knows what is needed, but they still spend one or two days getting everything ready," Jos revealed.
Verstappen is undoubtedly fond of rallying, thus stating that we will not see him back at Le Mans. "No. I like rallying. Let the young men drive Le Mans, I like rally much more," Verstappen concludes, squandering the dream of his son who one day hoped to maybe compete alongside his father. If both continue to succeed in their respective competitions, it surely won't become a regret.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon