Verstappen gives important advice to Dutch Red Bull junior driver
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![Emely de Heus on working with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez](https://webp.gp.cdn.pxr.nl/news/2024/08/21/3b89b5edefe59b39f3e57d773b16d7a6a1fa5cc3.jpg?width=1800)
- Sandy van Wijngaarden
Since the beginning of this year, Dutch driver Emely de Heus has been part of the Red Bull Driver Academy. This came as a real but nice surprise for her. One fact that comes with this is that she is now part of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's team, but what is it really like working with them?
Last week, in the run-up to the Dutch Grand Prix, a video appeared online on Red Bull Racing's Instagram channel in which Emely De Heus and Max Verstappen teamed up to answer questions. In an exclusive interview with GPblog, De Heus was asked what it is like to work with Verstappen.
"That was actually quite funny because we had to do it in English," the 21-year-old began. "I was given a list of the questions. Sometimes I didn't really get out my words because I was a bit nervous. And then all at once in English. It's also weird for me to speak English to someone who can speak Dutch. So then we did sit and talk a little Dutch in between."
What is it like working with Verstappen and Perez?
Her experiences working with the Dutchman have been very positive. Verstappen even helped her when she was at a loss for words. "He is just actually very friendly. He also helped me once. When I couldn't get my words out. Then he read it out loud. Then they cut that out." The three-time world champion also handed out advice to the F1 Academy driver. "He also just advises that you should enjoy the race weekends as much as possible. Then the results will come. He is just very nice," De Heus said in conclusion.
Sergio Perez is also part of Red Bull Racing, of course. According to De Heus, the Mexican comes across differently in real life than on television, but in a positive way. ''We had that one time in the pit box with us. That was not really an interview, but more like he just came to watch us. There were a few cameras there, but it wasn't like we had to talk in it. He was also very nice. He also had quite a sense of humour. Anyway, he laughed a lot. Then you see a bit of a different side to how he normally comes across on television. I liked that," the MP Motorsport driver said.
This article has been written in collaboration with Ben Stevens.