“Max had to stay outside, sometimes with frozen fingers,” Helmut Marko reveals a ‘harsh’ training method employed for Max Verstappen by his father
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Jos Verstappen (Left) & Max Verstappen (Right)
All have heard the story: Once, following a spin which cost Max Verstappen a (karting) world championship, his father Jos Verstappen was so upset that he left his son at a petrol station in the south of Italy. Verstappen Jr. had tried to start a dialogue with his father, trying to explain his mistake, but his father was having none of it and didn’t want to hear it anymore.
As he revealed to ESPN, Max’s mother, Sophie Kumpen was just a few minutes behind, so he called her, and five minutes later, she arrived to pick him up. Eventually, Verstappen Sr. returned as well and has since explained that he was not going to leave his son there, and had intended to return. He drove back home with his son, but they did not speak a word with each other.
Now, Helmut Marko has identified another such ‘tough love’ moment. Speaking to Car and Driver magazine, Marko first stated that having Verstappen as your teammate is ‘not good for your career’, calling him ‘special’: “Max is very special. He was trained very harshly by his father, but with great success.”
He said that as a young boy, when it rained, Verstappen stayed outside, while others did not: “For example, when he was less than 10 years old, they were in Italy, and as soon as it started to rain, all the other drivers went to the cafeteria for coffee or cake. Max had to stay outside, sometimes with frozen fingers. That’s why he’s so good in the rain. He can adapt immediately. You can’t beat Verstappen.”
Helmut Marko on his job around Max Verstappen’s teammates
Helmut Marko is often considered to be ‘outspoken’ in the media, never shy to give his own opinion, regardless of whatever may be the consequences. He’s even acquired a reputation for just that, even outside of the media. While some may think it to be insensitive, he does not agree: “No. In car racing, there is always an excuse not to win: the engine, the tires, the chassis, etc.“
He elaborated: “Unfortunately, many drivers are supported by parents who spend a lot of money, sometimes more money than they have, just to fulfill the dream of raising a child who is a famous racing driver. It is my obligation to tell them when they should go in a different direction and stop spending money.”
While the Austrian himself thinks that teammates can’t ‘beat Verstappen’, they themselves might see it differently, as it’s always hard to accept being second best. It’s his job to make them understand, and eventually, they do: “Yes. They compare their cars with yours: “Do I have the same material?” They think, “How can I beat him?” They can’t, so they try to change the car’s settings or adapt their driving style.”
He concluded by saying that he doesn’t think his job is ‘cruel’: “Of course you can’t accept that you’re just not as good as him. At some point, you have to recognize, bah, there is someone who is special and you just can’t beat them. It’s my job to make them understand that. Is that cruel? I do not think.“
Verstappen indeed does seem special. He holds many records, and has only recently turned 25. He may be the next one to start an era of domination in Formula 1.
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