Vermeulen is 'proud' of Verstappen: 'He managed without a winning car'
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Max Verstappen has joined an exclusive club by winning his fourth consecutive championship. Only five other drivers have managed the same feat in Formula 1's history. This puts the Red Bull Racing driver on a very illustrious list. His manager, Raymond Vermeulen, expressed pride in his pupil.
'Max has earned this title more than ever'
After the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Vermeulen was very appreciative of Verstappen. "We were supposed to roll through the year dominant again, but in the end, it was different. But I'm super proud and super satisfied, Max did it himself. The car was tricky and there were some hiccups in it, so Max gave everything. I think this title is more deserved than ever by him," Vermeulen revealed to Motorsport.com.
In doing so, Vermeulen indicated that around the race in Monza, Verstappen was in a very rough spot. Around that time, the RB20 was not performing as it should have been. McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes were faster than the Red Bull. "We always said internally, also together with Jos: 'Max, it could fall either way this year'. In the end, it went the right way, but Max always remained supported, and we did believe in it."
Vermeulen added that this title is very special, partly because of Sergio Perez. The Mexican has not been on the podium since the China GP, while Verstappen has always performed. "Look at where the other car is. This is just fully attributable to Max. Of course, with Red Bull's support, they brought what Max demanded, but he did not have a dominant car. We didn't have a world championship car," Vermeulen concluded.
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