Just another day at the office?

Published on 02 March 2016 by Stefan Meens

If you think Max Verstappen can take it easy on the days he is not testing the STR11, think again! Whereas his team mate Carlos Sainz is lapping the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona, his Scuderia Toro Rosso team mate has a busy schedule outside the cockpit.

After breakfast, Max joins Carlos for a meeting with their engineers to discuss the testing schedule, after which the Spaniard heads to garage. Max, meanwhile, has to do his first PR event of the day – a photo and film shoot – before he has another meeting with his engineers.

Next up are several interviews and meeting a delegation from Max’ sponsor Exact. The company is hosting its ‘international accountancy summit’ at the Barcelona circuit. Besides an interview there was time for a meet & greet with guest of the business software supplier.

The final item on pre-lunch calendar is a meeting with no one other than football legend Johan Cruyff, who lives in Barcelona. The Dutch sporting icon was invited to the paddock by the Verstappens and Toro Rosso.

After his well-earned lunch, Max visited a sponsor of the team before another camera shoot. This time he addressed Ziggo, the Dutch media outlet that broadcasts the entire Formula 1 season live on Dutch TV.

But Max’ work is not done yet; another meeting with his engineers, lasting three hours, marks the end of his working day. After dinner in Toro Rosso’s hospitatility unit, the 18-year-old youngster heads to his hotel to make sure he’s rested for Thursday, in which he will drive the STR11 for a full day.