Red Bull Contentpool
F1 News
Jos Verstappen opens up about Max's true character: 'You don't learn that'
While Max Verstappen can be known to have a fiery temper, the Red Bull Racing driver tends to be able to keep his head extremely cool under the extreme pressure of Formula 1. Jos Verstappen explains where his son gets these traits from.
Jos Verstappen on Max: 'It's in his character'
"It's in his character, you don't learn that," Jos answers Speedweek' s question about where the four-time world champion's composure comes from. "I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with and I demanded a lot from Max when he was young. But he could handle it all. He has always been very strong mentally. With many victories, he built a huge self-confidence step by step. If you believe in yourself strongly, that never goes away."
Jos Verstappen then explained how he prepared Max for his motorsport career from a young age, "Even at kart level, I tried to teach him as much as possible. Because there are many aspects you have to consider - the driving itself, how you overtake, the set-up of your car. I think it helped a lot to teach Max a lot early on, because his debut in Formula 1 showed that he was already very far along as a teenager."
Max Verstappen on remaining calm
Max has talked in the past about remaining calm, which sometimes led to discussions with his father. "I used to say to him: 'OK, never mind, we'll see.' And then he would reply: 'What do you mean by 'we'll see'?' That's not an approach," the Red Bull driver says.
"But that's just how I am. I don't like putting too much stress on myself, I don't like thinking too much or making things complicated. I approach my tasks in a relaxed and calm way. I don't want to think too much about how I can influence certain things."
This article was written in collaboration with Nicole Mulder.
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels too!