Max Verstappen inspires admiration from his father and Helmut Marko
Even though Max Verstappen still does not have unanimous support within the paddocks, he can still count on some backing, like his father, but especially from the head of the Red Bull program, Helmut Marko, who recently made glowing remarks about the Dutchman.
At first glance, what stands out most from the last Hungarian Grand Prix is the tribute paid by the drivers to Jules Bianchi, Vettel’s 41st victory, and the repeated collisions. The very good result of Max Verstappen was indeed somewhat overshadowed by all these events. In fact, the Dutch rookie secured a solid 4th place. This is unprecedented for a Toro Rosso since the 2008 edition of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Known for his strong opinions and straightforwardness, Helmut Marko has stated that Verstappen’s performance last weekend did not leave him indifferent: “It was perfect,” he assured. “He made no mistakes. Strategy, pit stops, everything worked well. He had a penalty but fortunately, it did not change the result. He is still learning, and I’m sure we haven’t seen everything yet. He is in a fantastic environment. But he still has a lot to learn, and the more pressure he has, the less easy it will be for him to develop. His results are fantastic so far, a fourth place at mid-season, who would have thought?”
As for Max’s father, Jos, always present in the paddocks, he was naturally also happy to see his son achieve such a result: “It was exciting,” he confided. “You never know what can happen. I was there, fingers crossed, for him to reach the checkered flag. I am happy with this result. It’s good before the summer break. And for the team, fourth place means twelve points.” He also does not hide his optimism for the future: “After such a result, I am definitely positive for the future. I thought he was good in qualifying, and he has made progress over the sessions. In Austria, things went well, but in England, it was not the case due to a car issue. I definitely see him making progress. In the race, he was always solid, if he continues, it will pay off.”
With 22 points, Max Verstappen is ranked 11th in the drivers’ championship at mid-season. Additionally, it has been revealed that he will take advantage of the break to take driving lessons. With the aim of obtaining a driver’s license.
