Jos reflects on F3 season
Published on 21 October 2014 by Stefan Meens
He jokingly refers to himself as the ‘taxi driver’ but Jos Verstappen plays an important role in Max Verstappen’s success thus far. Together with the Verstappen Info Page, senior reflects on his son’s European F3 campaign in which he stood by his son mentoring him along the way.
Jos: “Before the season kicked off, it was difficult to predict what to expect. But he’s done an amazing job. He took more victories than anyone else, in a team that hadn’t won a race before. However, despite all the success, the main thing for Max is that he learned a lot. Along the way, he impressed many.”
Jos is particularly impressed in the way Max dealt with trials and tribulations on track. “Throughout the season Max and the team improved which meant they were title contenders. However, when Max’ engine blew up on the Nürburgring whilst he was leading the race, it was a bitter disappointment. But it made him stronger”, says Jos. “He also made a couple of mistakes but he bounced straight back. You can really see him progress and develop and it’s only going to get better from here on.”
For Max, the Euro F3 round at Spa proved a turning point in the Red Bull Junior’s debut season. Jos echoes those sentiments. “The races at Spa-Francorchamps and the Norisring in the rain were amazing. It couldn’t have gone any better and those six wins in a row are an achievement I won’t easily forget. Nevertheless, the dearest moment to me remains Max making his Formula 1 debut during Friday free practice in Japan”, reveals a smiling Jos.
The Dutchman is still the most successful Dutch driver in F1 history but Verstappen junior is keen to claim that title. Jos “I think he will and I’m looking forward to it as we’ve been working on an F1 career for a very long time. So if someone is to become more successful than me, it has to be Max.”
Looking forward, to the first Grand Prix of the 2015 season in Melbourne, Jos is optimistic. “Max needs to prepare as well as he possible can and he is doing that with Friday free practice, test sessions and physical training exercises. He is ahead of schedule so I’m confident he’ll be 100% ready when he lines up on the Melbourne grid.”
