Formula 1
Verstappen doesn’t see repeat of Hamilton’s dad issues with Jos
From Darshan Chokhani
Singapore, 6 Oct 2019: Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen doesn’t think his relationship with Jos will deteriorate like his F1 rival Lewis Hamilton’s did with Anthony at one stage.
Hamilton started his career in F1 when being looked after by his dad Anthony after their journey together in the sport since the karting days. However, the relation started to deteriorate and the differences led them to go in separate ways professionally with the British driver managing his own self, which also included cracking a deal with Mercedes which has eventually won him four more titles.
After a brief period of distance, the relation between Lewis and Anthony is back to being healthy with the two spending time whenever possible and the latter also visiting him at a few F1 races. He is no longer managing him but the relation his better than ever. On similar lines, the journey of Max is very much influenced by Jos, with the difference being that Verstappen Sr himself has raced actively in F1.
The Dutchmen are a strong force together but Jos doesn’t indulge himself much as they do have a manager as well in place to form a team for anything that Max requires. In the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast, Verstappen Sr talked about his relationship with Max and that he reckoned, it won’t go the way it did for the Hamiltons. When asked by IndiaInF1.com, Verstappen Jr very much agreed to his dad’s stance.
We have a very strong bond, we trust each other and of course I believe in my dad,” he said. “I think it is just that from a very young age onward, we have experienced so many things together that I don’t it will happen [the way it went for Hamiltons].” It looks like that very much as Jos doesn’t step too much in Max’s way and for now, the relation with Red Bull is better than ever as the Dutchman is a de-facto leader of the team.
Staying with his dad, there were talks about the two racing together one day, whether in a competitive series or for fun but Jos said it is unlikely to happen as he doesn’t feel like racing anymore. Max, however, is leaving it to fate. “I want to do it maybe after my F1 career or whatever comes up. I think it would be something cool to do so. At the moment I can say yes, but maybe in ten years’ time I’ll be like ‘No I don’t want it anymore’, so I guess time will tell.”
