Verstappen on Verstappen: 'People don't know the real Max'
F1 News
- Savannah Lenz
Like many of the greats, Max Verstappen is both loved and loathed. While some find him arrogant, others find him honest. One of the traits Max gets from his father, Jos, is how they both do not mince their words and will be blunt.
Those who personally know Jos Verstappen know that if he is not happy with something, he will make that clear. Max, is the same way. He is often outspoken and sometimes that does not come across in the right way. He has often been called arrogant. Jos Verstappen disagrees. "He is not arrogant, but direct." When speaking to F1-Insider, Verstappen's father said, "Yes, always standing up for yourself was part of my upbringing."
Max Verstappen, the perfect role model?
Verstappen Sr. then debates the topic of a role model and whether or not his son is one. "I ask now: what is more of a role model? If you act like an actor or openly say what you think and always stand behind your personal values? All I can say is that the way Max behaves in public, the way he expresses his opinions, makes me as incredibly proud as I am of his sporting successes."
According to his father, a lot of people do not know Max well enough to know the real Max. They only see the aggressive way that Max drivers. His father also recognizes that his son is an aggressive driver but in a good way on the track. Jos Verstappen mentioned how his son is in life.
"But privately he is a calm, extremely balanced, friendly personality. Someone who wants harmony and listens carefully and then draws conclusions."
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen.
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