'Verstappen still the same humble boy, not caught by spotlight'
Red Bull Content Pool
F1 News
- Corwin Kunst
Max Verstappen's on track achievements speak for themselves, but according to Graham Watson, former Toro Rosso team manager, much of his success lies in his mental strength and personality. The Briton saw very quickly that there was a very big talent in the now four-time world champion.
"He can block everything: that is a characteristic of the great champions. Max doesn't listen to all the noise around him, he focuses completely on his work. The only reason he is in Formula 1 is to win. And that's it," Watson writes in his column for Dutch Formula 1 Magazine.
At Toro Rosso, where Verstappen began his career in Formula 1 in 2015, he brought with him unprecedented motivation, according to Watson. "For a team, Max is enlightening and inspiring. No matter who you are, you like to surround yourself with winners. Max is such a person. Who wouldn't want to work with a driver like that?" said the Briton, who was born in New Zealand.
Max is still Max
In addition, what strikes Watson is how Verstappen has always remained the same despite his huge success. "What strikes me after ten years is that Max is still the same humble guy. He is not caught up by the spotlight and has not changed a bit as a person. He has learned how to know his limits and how to deal with them. That makes him not only a great driver, but also a special person."
Watson joined Toro Rosso in 2014 and left after 10 seasons in the Faenza-based team. Since 2024, he has been Head of Operations at FOM, Formula One Management.
This article was written in collaboration with Norberto Mujica
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