Column: Johan Cruijff - Max Verstappen in good hands
Published on 07 March 2016 by Mike Motilall
“You are never too old to learn, I found that out again this week. Thanks to Jos and Max Verstappen, I had a fantastic day on the racetrack in Barcelona with the Toro Rosso team.
Just like in many other sports, I have been able to see that acting quick is the base of everything in F1. The time between seeing and acting accordingly is vital. In motorsports, he who decides the fastest, gains. It’s about seeing and knowing immediately then what you need to do. Be it a pass in football, a move during ice skating or shifting gears in Formula 1. Look at the start of a Grand Prix. It’s always the same that are ahead and the same that miss out.
A big difference with premier football is that in Formula 1, every aspect has a dedicated specialist. And failure is no option, or else he can go packing. It is nice to see how many people in Max’ team work that way. Each part needs to work perfectly. Anything less than the best, is not good enough. Football can learn a lot from that.
In Formula 1, there is a specialist for each piece, but the only one driving is the pilot. Who not only needs to go as fast as he possibly can, but also needs to understand every specialist. He needs to act on their level. That takes tremendous effort in different area’s and forces you to invest in yourself. Eventually, as a driver you are like an extension of the team in the car.
It is interesting to see how Max deals with that. It reminds me of Rinus Michels, he wanted to have a word with me. He asked me to observe certain things of the team during the game. He told me that I then needed to do what I thought was ok. I was the youngest then, but he only did that with me. If there is that click with the team or the coach, then you are constantly breaking new grounds together.
Also, l like how Max appeals to others. He is working globally, we are not talking about a couple of thousands of spectators. This is the pinnacle of sport, dealing with pressure, media, everything. He is a media man, the face of a brand that is sold the world over.
Still he manages to carry himself excellently. Not only by how he behaves, but also by completely being himself. Besides, he gets support from his father Jos. And what is better than getting advice from someone who loves you and knows the ropes?
Just like myself, Jos has undoubtedly made mistakes in his career and I am sure he will do his utmost to prevent his child from making the same. So in that respect, Max is also in good hands.”
Johan Cruijff
Source: De Telegraaf/Telesport
