Max at Jumbo Foodmarket in Groningen: 'Great to see all those fans'
Published on 19 September 2018 by Mike Motilall
Max Verstappen flew home to Monaco after his excellent second place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix. Having had a day’s rest, he is off to the UK today after a short stopover in Groningen. This afternoon he has a video shoot for Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and tomorrow he’s in the sim in Milton Keynes, preparing himself for the race in Sochi.
Jumbo opened a Foodmarket today in Groningen, and under the roof of the magnificent supermarket, for the first time, also a Max Verstappen pop-up store. After a brief visit to both the store and supermarket, Max appeared on stage in front of a crowd of thousands of fans.
“I have a very special relationship with Jumbo. They have been my first sponsor in my motorsport career and have supported me since Formula 3. So that’s why I like to do something for them in return: like opening a Jumbo Foodmarket here in Groningen today. My own Max Verstappen pop-up store also looks very nice. Very nice to see the yellow Jumbo-helmet and great to see all the fans.”
Looking at the rest of the races on the calendar, Mexico would be a nice chance for a good result. Even a victory? “Maybe”, Max answers. I won last year, but this year we have a big deficit regarding power compared to last year. But you never know.”
“I think that we have the best car of the field, you could see that also in Singapore. From next year onward, with the new engine supplier, we hope that things will be heading in the right direction. Honda’s budget is a lot bigger than our current engine supplier is spending. They are making strides and the result in the tests prove that. Honda is eager, they want to win. At Red Bull Racing we want the same.”
Thursday Max will be in the professional simulator of his team, but at home he also has quite some gear as well. “By now, my friends are using it more than I do. But the simulator is just there, so when I feel like to, I can take it for a spin. This year, Paul Ricard was a new track on the calendar. I didn’t feel one day in the sim in Milton Keynes was enough for me, so I drove the same track in the sim at home. About some 100 to 200 laps a day, just to get the hang of it. That helps.”
Max showed his skills on stage by doing a few laps in a simulator, of course on the Austrian Red Bull Ring.
Max shares with us about meeting Frits van Eerd, Jumbo Supermarkets' CEO, for the first time: “I was a bit nervous. I was 16 and the meeting was held in his office, between some very nice Formula 1-cars. Our aim was of course to eventually drive Formula 1, but the first step we wanted to take was to go do Formula 3, a major leap. But you always need to believe in yourself. For me, Formula 3 was the right step and eventually that also proved to be the case, thankfully.”
Frits van Eerd enthusiastically replies: “We are so very lucky to have such a top talent here in the Netherlands. Someone who is able to make the most of his talent. A guy who knows how to win and of whom almost every one of us is sure that he will be world champion someday, we only don’t know which year that will happen. But it’s going to happen. It’s very nice for us as Jumbo to be able to support such a talent and be able to both reap the benefits.”
After a selfie with the entire crowd, Max opened, together with the Jumbo stakeholders Anrico Maat and Frits van Eerd, the Max Verstappen pop-up store. After his lightning visit he immediately took off for the airport.
In the Max Verstappen pop-up store in Groningen, there is a Red Bull Racing Formula 1-car on display, as well as numerous special Max Verstappen memorabilia, like an original race overall and the yellow helmet which the Dutchman wore during the race he won in Austria. The store is open from September 19th through October 21st, every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 13.30 till 17.30 hours, on Saturday from 10.00-17.00 hours and Sunday from 12.00-17.00 hours. There is a special offer – based upon availability – only in the Max Verstappen pop-up store in Groningen: buy an orange Max Verstappen 2018 driver’s cap and get a 4-pack Red Bull for free.
