More than ten years after Max Verstappen’s debut in F1, his father Jos recounts the decisive negotiations held with Helmut Marko.
Read more Ferrari poaches again from Mercedes
Max Verstappen became in 2015 the youngest driver in history to start a Formula 1 Grand Prix. An extremely early arrival in the top category of which Jos Verstappen has just revealed some behind-the-scenes details.
A year earlier, the Dutchman had just made his single-seater debut. After a brilliant karting career, Verstappen had joined the European Formula 3 Championship in 2014 and immediately stood out by mixing in the fight for the title.
His performances quickly attracted the attention of the major Formula 1 teams. Two teams notably positioned themselves to secure his services: Mercedes and Red Bull.
Mercedes and Red Bull fought over Verstappen
At the time, Jos Verstappen was already managing his son’s career alongside Raymond Vermeulen, who is still the manager of the four-time world champion today.
“We already had the same team around us: manager Raymond Vermeulen, who is a very good friend of mine. There was Raymond, Max, and me, and it is still the case today. So we were very well prepared.”
The young Verstappen’s performances had placed his entourage in a favorable position, as both Toto Wolff and Helmut Marko were looking to recruit him.
“Toto Wolff and Helmut Marko were both talking to us. They were pushing to sign him. On our side, we were doing our job: finding the best possible environment for Max.”
It was ultimately Red Bull that won the battle. And for a major reason: unlike Mercedes, the Austrian brand was ready to immediately offer Verstappen a place in Formula 1.
A proposal that surprises Jos Verstappen
Jos Verstappen precisely remembers the decisive discussion with Helmut Marko. It took place at Hockenheim and started in a particularly direct manner.
“I remember it very well. I was at Hockenheim and it was a typical conversation with Helmut. He came to our table and said: ‘I only have 20 minutes.’ I replied that it was more than enough to talk.”
Read more F1 vs IndyCar: which one is faster?
Marko then immediately got straight to the point.
“His first sentence was: ‘I want Max with us in Formula 1 next year’.”
A particularly bold proposal since Verstappen was then only 16 years old and had only a few months of single-seater experience.
“I was very surprised that he said that. So I replied: ‘Okay Helmut, let’s do it, but for two years, not just one’.”
Jos Verstappen demanded two seasons
The Dutchman’s father felt that one year would not have been enough to allow his son to demonstrate his full potential.
“Since Max was very young, I thought he needed a first year to find his bearings and that he could then show how good he was during the second.”
Red Bull ultimately offered him this opportunity and Verstappen made his debut at Toro Rosso in 2015 at only 17 years old. But his adaptation proved much faster than his father had imagined.
His performances during his first campaign convinced Red Bull to accelerate the next step of his rise. From the fifth Grand Prix of the 2016 season, he was promoted to the main team replacing Daniil Kvyat.
“But he adapted so easily. He had such a good first season in 2015 that they promoted him to Red Bull in his second year. It was a good thing.”
The rest is history: Verstappen won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix on his first appearance with Red Bull, before becoming a four-time world champion a few years later. A trajectory whose starting point was this short 20-minute discussion with Helmut Marko at Hockenheim.
Read more Oscar Piastri looks beyond the results and feels he is progressing despite an uneven season