– Racing driver father Jos Verstappen is worried about his son Max Verstappen and his future in Formula 1. Speaking to de Telegraaf, he said: “To be honest, I’m afraid that Max will lose his motivation. Driving a Formula 1 car used to be the greatest thing ever for him, but at the moment I see it quite pessimistically.”
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The reason for this is the new Formula 1 regulations, which force drivers to manage the available energy instead of constantly driving at the limit. Max Verstappen has repeatedly criticized “the new Formula 1”.
Why Jos Verstappen thinks similarly to Max Verstappen
Now his father Jos Verstappen said: “You notice very quickly that he doesn’t enjoy driving these cars at all. And I can completely understand his frustration.”
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“A driver should be rewarded for his courage and skill. But now it’s the case that you’re even slower over a lap if you attack a corner to the maximum. That takes away the whole racing feeling.”
The new Formula 1: Is it just “chaos”?
Jos Verstappen is also bothered by the “yo-yo racing” of the first race laps: drivers seemingly swap positions back and forth arbitrarily. The former Formula 1 driver is annoyed by “overtaking maneuvers halfway down the straight because the other driver has no energy left. Sorry, but that has nothing to do with overtaking,” said Jos Verstappen.
“What Formula 1 is doing with this is creating chaos. And this chaos attracts a certain audience. But it has nothing to do with racing.”
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Max Verstappen thinks similarly – and has already hinted several times that he could reconsider his further involvement in Formula 1 if the rules do not change drastically. Jos Verstappen said: “I wish it weren’t so, but looking at his future, I certainly see a problem in that.”
Max Verstappen is currently under contract with Red Bull until 2028 (to the overview of current contract terms in Formula 1!). But the current engine format will likely remain until at least 2029.
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Jos Verstappen: Max just says what he thinks
Is that the reason why Max Verstappen opposes the new rules so vehemently? “You mustn’t forget that he’s just answering the questions he’s asked honestly,” said Jos Verstappen.
“One should be glad that Max is so direct. Or do people only want yes-men in this sport? Or drivers who say everything is great even though they don’t mean it at all?”
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“Above all, I’m glad that Max just says what he thinks. He’s my son, after all, but I think one should appreciate that such drivers still exist at all.”
How Max reacts to Jos Verstappen’s statements
Asked about his father’s statements, Max Verstappen assured: “I always give my all when I’m in the car. But in the current situation, I’m not enjoying it. And others feel the same way. When you spend so much time away from home for 22 races, you have to do something that gives you real joy.”
According to Verstappen, every top performance “starts with fun. If that’s missing, you can’t get the best out of yourself,” says the Formula 1 driver.
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So how does Verstappen motivate himself when the fun is currently missing? “I try to keep it interesting with other things. But at some point, that doesn’t work anymore either,” said Verstappen. “Therefore: let’s see how it goes.”
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