“I needed it" - Max Verstappen defends father Jos Verstappen’s “harsh” treatment
Jos - a former F1 driver himselfಞ - played a pivotal role in Max’s career th💛rough karting and up until F1.
In a recent interview with GQ, the current Red Bull driver recounted📖 a story from his junior career when he made a ꦺcrucial mistake in a karting title-decider.
“Basically, I fucked up,” Max explained. “I misjudged the plꦍace where I wanted to pass the guy in th💦e lead, and—too much risk.
“I could have waited one more lap, two more laps, and I would’ve passed the guy, and I would’ve just taken off and that would’ve been it. But, yea🤪h. So I crashed. And that was it, no world championship.”
Verstappen revealed after that Jos left him alone at a𝓰 fuel station because he was so angry about what happened in the finale.
“My dad, he put so much effort into it over the years to that point. So that if I got there it would all be ready to go. And that’s why he was so angry,” Max added. “I kept trying to get into a conversation with him about why I did it and what I tho🐎ught of the situation.
“But then at one point he was like, ‘Max, if you don’t shut up now I’m kicking you out.’ And, of ♕course, I didn’t think he would do that. So I kept on talking, trying to talk to him. Next fuel station he stops and he’s like, ‘Get out!.”
Jos would eventually go back to pick him 🅘up but༺ a clear indication of his “harsh” behaviour.
Even so, Max was quick to defend his father’s actions, admitting he’s “very happy that I h🎃ad that kind of treatment.”
“I mean, it sounds horrible,” he explained. “Like, it sounds a bit horrible. Like, some people probably cannot deal with that kind of behaviour, b♐ut I needed it. I was that type of character, probably, who needed this kind of treatment.”
“Of course, from the outside it soun🎃ds sometimes a bit harsh. But I’m very happy that I had that kind of treatment.
“I was just a lot more on it, in terms of just 🎶being more professional about it. That definitely came from my dad, because if he wasn’t my dad, I would also be running around, playing, having fun൲. And I need that kind of push.”
With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and stꦅorylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporti🍌ng.
