“Max Verstappen’s Father, Jos, Instilled ‘Destroy Your Team-Mates’ Mentality, Says Former F1 Manager”
In an attempt to pose a strong title threat to Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen this year, Sergio Perez is hoping that his fourth attempt will be successful. If not, there could be terrible consequences.
It has been warned to Sergio Perez that Max Verstappen will not stop “destroy his team-mates” because his strict father has instructed him to.
In Formula 1, the Dutchman has a stellar record versus his teammates. Furthermore, because Verstappen has won the championship in each of their three seasons together at Red Bull, Perez is well aware of how difficult it is to compete against him.
Former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen was notoriously strict with his kid during his karting career. Graham Watson, the former manager of the Toro Rosso team, claims that this was inspired by his personal experience of losing badly against Michael Schumacher at Benetton.
Watson told the Dutch magazine Formule1, “I think that Jos felt that Michael Schumacher had better material and was favoured.” Jos was also a really talented driver, so I got the feeling that he found it hard to accept that.
“Flavio [Briatore, Benetton team principal at the time] had a strong bond with Michael, both sporting-wise and personal. That’s why I think Jos imprinted on Max very early on, that the first thing that you have to do is destroy his team-mates.
“And we have seen that in recent years. It has to be your team, you have to be the man around whom it revolves. I’m convinced that you now also see this with Max – first beat your team-mate, then win the title.
“To this day, I don’t think that Jos got fair treatment at Benetton and that has partly ensured that Max understands that aspect of the sport very well. He does not need better equipment, he wants the same equipment, talent will do the rest.”
During their three seasons together, Perez has just once been within 200 points of Verstappen. Although some have expressed dissatisfaction about the lack of a title fight in Formula One, Watson maintains that Verstappen has actually benefited the sport and that the Dutchman is the favorite to win the title for the fourth time in a row.
“Max is the best thing that has happened to Formula 1,” he continued. I likened Max’s transition from Toro Rosso to Red Bull to Michael Schumacher’s switch to Ferrari. At the time, Schumacher was the one who greatly popularized Formula 1. Just have a look at the vintage photos of Hockenheim and Spa; Schumacher flags were flying from every stand.
“Max may have saved Formula 1 on his own,” because he sparks curiosity and brings the same intensity. For him, people travel in large numbers to Austria, Spa, and really everywhere. That was not even there when Schumacher was around. Despite being sixty years old, my wife loves Max because of his flair and the enthusiasm he brings to the track.”
