Max Verstappen Exclusive - The Real Max

10:28David Coulthard:probably i would say least favorite yeah but that wow but that is uh because i think the word that you can use for the whole year will be management i think that's the right word and i mean at the end of the day when you go into competition you will always do the best you can with what you have because it's the same for everyone but that i mean sometimes things can be more enjoyable than others and for me personally it's not so enjoyable but I do know of course that when I sit in the car I will always give it my best because also the people of course that have designed the car and the engine of course this year which I mean has been honestly incredible to witness how these guys have started from zero and have given us a power unit that is running well you know like we don't have any issues is it fast enough I have no idea you know we have to wait and see but honestly it's just incredible to work with with all these great people and for me to then say of course that is the least enjoyable it's not very nice but i also want to say that i know that when i sit in the car of course i will always always give it my very best but yeah it's just not not really enjoyable i mean it's it's not pure formula one if anything i could tell you it's probably like formula e on steroids okay okay when you get out there and the lights go out irrespective of what the car

11:50Naomi:you want to win. You're a serial winner. And on the opposite side of the garage, you have a teammate, of course. And as we both know, it's good if you get along with your teammate, but he's there to be beaten. Now, we've got Isaac Hadjer this year, bright, young driver who's shown great potential. Have you had any chance yet to see how he's performing? Are you feeling more like the elder statesman where you want to sort of get your arm around your shoulder? Or is

12:15David Coulthard:it just like hey you do your job i'll do mine uh well no i mean you you of course you always you know you work together and you know we haven't really done that much yet right so um he's great honestly he's a very nice guy and of course you know when you're more uh like you know you're just heading into your second year it's you are in a very different probably state of mind where probably for me going into my 12th season is um you're a bit more relaxed about things you are a bit more I would say not I mean not laid back but you just like you know this is testing just you know go step by step work with the people so even when he's in the car like I don't I'm not going to stand there in the garage like you know watching every single detail I will just watch from the back you know a bit more relaxed like I'm doing actually right now I'm not even at the track so yeah it's uh it's a bit different but honestly like at the end of the day we just have to try and make the car go as fast as we can and I'm really confident that we will do that you know And I'm sure also, you know, we get along absolutely fine.

13:17David Coulthard:And I know him, of course, for a longer period of time, being part of the junior team and then getting into Formula One. So that's absolutely fine.

13:24Max Verstappen:I have to say, it's got to be so daunting. I mean, second year in Formula One, firstly jumping up into the big Red Bull team, but then to be teammates with you, Max, which you've, you know, got a bit of a reputation of making your teammates look amateur at the best of times. So big, big, big task ahead of Isaac.

13:41David Coulthard:The thing as a driver, though, like you have to believe that you are always the best, right? I mean, that should be the approach. I mean, you have to say to yourself, I can beat anyone. And I mean, I am all for that. Also for everyone. So when I was like that, when I started in F1, in my first year, I was like, well, if you give me the car, I will win the championship. That's how you think. Of course, when you then look back at things, you have to make mistakes. You have to learn from them. And that is better to happen in a car that is not capable of fighting for a title. It hurts a little bit less.

14:15David Coulthard:So actually, I'm very happy, of course, with the approach that I had in my first year, you know, being a bit in the middle, fighting for points, but still, of course, also have some silly mistakes. And I think that's good to start like that.

14:26Naomi:Both you and I have raced. So we can visualize what Max sees through his visor when he approaches a corner. but what i can't imagine is how max is able to feel the limit of the grip like so consistently and and so uh without mistakes what do you even understand how you do what you do do you think about i'm breaking i'm turning in i'm going on the power or is it just a feeling thing you know

14:56David Coulthard:is it just through the seat of your pants i think uh well it's two things probably like i think from a young age trying a lot of different kind of racing helps in different kind of conditions because you will always pick up something that can be useful in a very critical scenario of you know when you lose the car or or whatever I yeah I grew up you know racing basically whatever had an engine like I mean I love driving all different kind of cars and there's always some technique or something that yeah makes you a bit more of an all-rounder driver that you can use So whatever I learned in F1, I might use in GTs or whatever prototype car.

15:34David Coulthard:And just constantly practicing as well online. It's a bit of muscle memory. And then I think besides that is that also most of the time when you are in the car, you're not driving at 102%, where a lot of drivers I see are constantly on. They're constantly trying to go as fast as they can. Where probably I'm not doing that.

15:58Max Verstappen:that's bad news for everybody i mean i remember when i was really young for listeners who who maybe don't know max so well max was always constantly on the racetrack and i remember when i was living in south africa i used to come back to belgium my paternal family lives in belgium and i used to come over for the summer rent a go-kart and continue to drive as well and max would always be at the car track in genk constantly doing laps i mean i think the guy never stopped to take a

16:24David Coulthard:break for lunch or anything else yeah i mean genko is my home track i mean i i can dream i think if you turn off the lights in the night and i drive i think i can still drive the track just eyes closed

16:35Naomi:i can do some things in the dark but i couldn't drive around the racetrack

16:41Max Verstappen:okay well i think this is a perfect opportunity to talk about sim racing i mean you're notorious for the amount of time you spend in your simulator i mean you come off the racetrack out of the Red Bull hospitality, straight into your motorhome and you're on your sim, whether it's at home or at the racetrack, you just love to be in your simulator. Do you think that that plays a role into, you know, your adaptability in the car and your learning as well and your constant evolution?

17:05David Coulthard:Yeah, I mean, I think it's definitely that. I mean, I am constantly thinking about how also I can like improve or find performance. Like I'm never satisfied. Yeah, with any kind of, I mean, result. I always come out of a weekend, I'm like, could we have tried something else? Could we have tried more? And I think it's always that hunger of trying to find more performance. Like my dad from a young age always told me, like, even when you win races, it's never good enough, right? There are always things that you have to look back at and could I have done this better? Or could I have looked into this detail more?

17:35David Coulthard:Or could we have looked into the engine more? Like, could we have had a different setup? And that's what I also try to apply. this is also what I always try to explain to the this in the sim racing team to my sim drivers that you ask them the question like have you tried everything have you yeah no we we have the setup for the race we all you know we're set I'm like are you are you sure you know have you actually tried everything should you not go over it again and I mean I would I would still change the setup like the night or in the middle of the night before the race because I was still not happy with it where maybe others already for one or two days had the setup like set and they were happy with it because i i always feel like even in the final moments before you get into the race that's sometimes where you still find like a little bit more performance i've just realized i didn't know you could change the setup yeah it's like almost i mean it's it's not as like fully sophisticated as in real life because some brands also they don't share everything of a real car right when you make this sim model especially to platforms because you know they have little tricks as you know in the funnels like there are little tricks and stuff that you cannot share but there is a setup sheet and you can change a lot of stuff on on the setup best way to get a good setup is just say max please can you borrow me your setup sheet thank you yeah yeah certain platforms that uh

18:56Naomi:that already gives you a bit of left time i just want to touch on you mentioned your dad there of course your mother was a racer as well so you you know you were effectively born on wheels and they've been a huge part of your your your career your dad's out rallying and I saw you an interview with you recently where someone asked whether you would do rallying and you were like for fun yes but not for competition yeah so how does it feel for you to to sort of be following what you you know your dad's out racing and winning championships yeah it's it's really crazy to be honest I mean

19:24David Coulthard:And I mean, honestly, what I find really impressive is that, I mean, he's 53 years old now, almost 54. And he's racing against guys that are, I mean, what, late 20s, early 30s. And in some championships, of course, he's beating them. And of course, in rallying, a lot goes through notes. But at the end of the day, when you do like a certain rally a few times, you go off muscle memory a little bit for sure. You know, so if you do it for a few years, you get better at it naturally. and uh yeah he he's very good at it to be honest like he loves it he's very hard to beat like when we uh when we go on to like let's say you rent like a little space on an airport and they set out a track and then you drive together like honestly like i have to go flat out to beat him you know to to on a lap and that i like that i like doing but on a like in between like a proper stage and i mean he shares me all the videos that he that he's doing in whatever kind kind of rally car that he's driving and i mean i find it really impressive i think it's really cool but i just think about if i make a mistake and i hit that tree i mean the tree is not moving you know yeah and that for me is like my limit uh that for me is something that yeah i don't want to do it's just a too high of a risk and i know that sounds maybe a bit silly but in formula one at or most of the time when you crash, it's like, you know, there is a barrier, like a proper designed barrier that should absorb the impact a bit more.

20:55David Coulthard:And yeah, it's a bit different in my head at least. And it's just a risk that I'm not willing to take. But it is really cool to see. And I mean, also like the Monaco rally in WRC, like it's unbelievable, you know, what these guys do.

21:08Max Verstappen:So are you suggesting that your dad is definitely quicker than DC then?

21:13David Coulthard:in a rally car i think he will be tough to beat yeah but i mean he loves he's such a fan as well of of the rallying and i mean he's spending a lot of time on it as well you know to optimize

21:24Naomi:everything within the car well naomi you're too young maybe to remember that i raced against yoss in formula one thankfully i didn't race against him in the case a couple years younger in the lower formulas because he arrived very young into formula one as a phenomenon and then went up alongside Michael Schumacher, who was pretty good behind the wheel, seven-time world champion. So yeah, it's an incredible family story, actually, Max. Did you have a time to reflect on that? Or are you just very much in the here and now, how do I get the best out of this season and looking forward? I mean, you do, of course, a little bit with the family,

22:00David Coulthard:but I think we can appreciate it probably even more once than also I stopped racing and then we all together just living our life, having a good time with a beer probably somewhere and reflect on it. You know, my parents also get on very well, which of course is very helpful. Of course, it's super cool. I mean, no one would have ever thought in our wildest dreams that I would get on to achieve what I did, right? I mean, the dream was to get to Formula One, but I mean, that's already such a distant dream to even just make it. And then, yeah, with everything that I have done so far, it's super cool.

22:36David Coulthard:So that goes, of course, for my dad, but also at the same time, my mom, you know, we talk a lot about it. Of course, I'm not going to tell my mom what roll bar that I put in the car. But it's still like, you know, when I talk to my mom, I don't need to explain it in normal people language. You know, she understands. And that I think is just really cool to be able to, yeah, just have a conversation with her about a lot of stuff.

23:00Max Verstappen:Yeah, that's so cool. And I think I can't imagine how proud they are of you. It's so cool to have had that shared passion over two generations. Now, Max, I think some people might maybe misunderstand you, who you are, your character. And I think you come across often as like the bad boy of Formula One. But I think those who know you know who you are. But I do think that what's a really good show of character is everything you're doing with Redline and the fact that you're actively paving a way for the next generation into motorsports through simulators. So can you just talk to me a little bit about that and why it's so important for you to have a project like that, that gives these younger generations an opportunity?

23:39David Coulthard:Well, it's also because I think go-karting nowadays is getting so expensive, even compared to when I was driving. There's no denying that even in go-karting nowadays, there's a lot of people with a lot of money that, you know, they, of course, and I mean, I would do the same if I had a son or a daughter that's racing. You want to have the best material, right? But the problem is, of course, when you have the money, the prices go up to get the best material. So I feel like people that don't have the money or the possibilities in general, they are being left out or they just don't get the right opportunities.

24:12David Coulthard:People give up. People switch to sim racing. And I see a lot of kids, younger kids and drivers, they try to, yeah, through the sim racing world, try and make a career. They all dream of racing, of course, in real life. and I had that similar story with my driver that is of course now in GT3. He did go-karting, he did very well but then basically that's where the road stops, you know and I'm just trying to create this opportunity where, of course, I mean, getting all the way to Formula 1 is tough. It doesn't matter even if you are the best go-kart driver out there but I want to be able to give them a career.

24:48David Coulthard:I want to be able that they can become a factory driver in whatever category, in endurance, you know. I mean, how beautiful is endurance racing nowadays with so many manufacturers and giving people great careers and platforms? And for me, it's exactly that. I want to give the opportunity through sim racing that you can come and join us, learn, I would say, to become a professional driver in terms of how you operate from home or wherever you live before you even go into the real world where it's structured. You need to be with real people, not just only virtual. and you need to man up, you need to stand your ground.

25:25David Coulthard:And we try and teach that already from our sim racing team, all the basics. And then you go into the real car, you hope it works out. But I had a high belief that he would be able to do it. And I have to say the first year that he did, of course you make mistakes, but in general he's done incredibly well. And now of course the next target is to become a full factory supported driver. Sure.

25:50Naomi:What's great for me to listen to there, Max, is your passion for this beyond what you're doing yourself. You've got incredible capacity, but that capacity is all around racing, isn't it? Your own racing, helping these other guys in racing. I take my hat off to you.

26:06Max Verstappen:Max, just before we let you go, I know you've got to get back to testing, so we're not going to keep you too much longer. But you talk a lot about not wanting to stay in Formula One forever and that you have a bucket list of other things in racing that you still want to do out there. So very quickly, because I know you've got to go, can you just tell us where are you on that timeline of wanting to exit F1 and what is on your bucket list?

26:25David Coulthard:Well, definitely closer to the end, that's for sure.

26:31David Coulthard:Yeah, well, I mean, honestly, like it's a tough one. I would say, of course, the current regulations are not helping the longevity of my career in Formula One, let's say like that. But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. I mean, I'm very happy with my career anyway already in Formula One. I can easily leave it behind. I have a lot of other projects. And also, and I mean, who actually cares when you're 60 or 70 years old, if you have won four titles or 10, because you're getting old. And I prefer to spend that with my family and really spend time with them before they are also not there anymore.

27:05David Coulthard:And that's something that over time and realization, I yeah I start to to see I mean last week I was skiing with good friends and family and my my sister's boyfriend they're getting married you know so I realized like this is fantastic you know like being able to spend a few days together and and appreciate life for sure who cares like trying to go 24 times a year around the world trying to hunt for another title and when you're six years old or whatever like i don't care if i win four or eight i mean i want to live my life you only live once and i don't want to spend uh 25 years of that in erasing a car you know so i want to also just appreciate life and what is out there so um yeah we'll we'll see maybe i sound a bit dramatic now but i just don't want to keep hunting or keep trying to live only for racing, you know.

28:02Max Verstappen:I think that totally makes sense.

28:04David Coulthard:Yeah, I think that's really

28:05Naomi:inspirational, Max.

28:06Max Verstappen:And it's not exactly like you haven't got four world titles, so you wouldn't exactly be leaving not having done an incredible job in 401.

28:13Naomi:Yeah, I think it's okay. I get asked all the time, you know, predictions for the year ahead. I know you're not in the prediction business any more than I am, but let me ask you, who do you see as being your strongest competitor this year, based on such a limited amount of knowledge?

28:26David Coulthard:Well, personally, I think any good team with a Mercedes engine will do well. Yeah. There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. You heard it here first.

28:35Max Verstappen:Well, Max, we really hope that the number three is going to treat you well this season. Thank you for your time and thank you for being our first guest on Up to Speed.

28:42David Coulthard:You're welcome. Thank you, buddy. See you around.

28:53Max Verstappen:Great, great interview.

28:55Naomi:I think it was really insightful. And one of the things that has been consistent in his time in Formula One, I remember interviewing him the morning after his first world title. Now, that wasn't without its controversy. And as you can imagine, the morning after, he was a bit dusty. He was there with his father, who was also a little bit dusty. And they sat there and said, we've achieved our goals. If we never win another race, if we never win another world championship, this is what we set out to do as a family. And here we are now, he's got four world championships, and maybe he wins another.

29:29Naomi:but how sincere and honest is that that look everything else is the icing on the cake

29:35Max Verstappen:sorry I have to interject here I just don't know I do not believe it for a second I don't believe it

29:42Naomi:we've just said how sincere he is I believe it I really like him

29:46Max Verstappen:I can't go on enough about how much I like him but him saying that he doesn't care if he wins four or if he wins eight of course he cares he's a winner he's Max Verstappen for goodness sake he wants to break all records and he's saying what he is so he can kind of cover his back in a way but also, so if he does hate this car, he does hate these regulations so much, I can't imagine for the life of me, I might eat my words, that he will leave the sport. I think if these cars are not enjoyable to drive, and let's be honest, if Max has got a car that isn't enjoyable to drive and he's winning a Grand Prix by 30 seconds, he'll find it enjoyable to drive because, as you say, he exists to win.

30:24Max Verstappen:But if he doesn't find the joy in this generation of cars, I can see him walk away. I don't believe for a minute that he is all about breaking records because I do believe, as DC says, and I think what we've known from him from day one, is he just wanted to win our title, let alone four. He will go and find something else to race and be competitive in and win titles there. He'll go to Le Mans and win Le Mans. He might go and do the World Endurance Championship. He might go and race NASCAR. He's got open invitations to go and do whatever he wants, wherever he wants, whenever he wants. And Max, I think, is a racer at heart and he's there for the joy of it.

31:03Max Verstappen:And if this isn't giving him joy, he'll go and find it somewhere else and he'll win there. And can I say, just to kind of add to your point, Will, I think personally, and correct me if you think I'm wrong, DC, drivers go through four phases everywhere they go. The first one, you arrive in a championship, you want to prove yourself. Tick, he did that. The second thing you want to do is win the championship. Tick. He's done that. The third thing you'd like to do is dominate. Tick. He's done that. And phase four is that you want to enjoy yourself and have fun. And he's basically, I think, probably at phase four now.

31:36Max Verstappen:Like he's won. He's dominated. He's proven anything he needs to prove. And you know what? I don't know what the record title will be. I mean, he talked about it there. Like there's more important things to life than just bagging world titles.

31:48Naomi:Yeah, I think he summarized it in a way that I never actually had explained before because I never dominated, never won a title. So I never got past phase one. But I do, Jolie, sincerely believe that what he's saying is correct. And let's not put to one side that he could go off to do GT racing or Le Mans for a couple of years, like Fernando Alonso did, and then come back to Formula One. Kimi Raikkonen stepped away from Formula One, came back with Ferrari. These guys can have a career for 25 years. You know, my generation, if he did 10 years, that was considered good. It's a different world today.

32:24Naomi:Do you know what I started thinking during that interview?

32:26Max Verstappen:Obviously, Max is the product of two incredible racing talents in Jos and Sophie. And Jos himself went through the junior formulas very much like Max did, straight to F1, straight out of F3, was considered this young, slightly loose, little bit wild, hot shot, and didn't work out for Jos in the way that it has for Max, but brilliant. Max's offspring will be Max's kids, and it will have PK genes, right? Nelson Piquet, a few-time world champion. Because Kelly is daughter of Nelson Piquet Sr. How good might that kid be? And might Max then pour himself, if his kids show an interest in racing, into then developing the career of someone who could be generationally with that kind of a gene pool?

33:11Max Verstappen:Yeah. Even better. And I look forward to many seasons of this podcast and hopefully watching both of your children become very successful drivers. We'll be here on the sidelines cheering them on. and you guys can cheer us on over on our socials at uptospeedshow. Make sure to comment, like, subscribe, leave a review, repost all those fancy fun things on the algorithm. And if you don't like social media, that's okay, because we've got an email for you, uptospeedatglobal.com, and you can send us in your questions. So we'll see you guys on Monday, and we'll see all of you there too.

33:48Naomi:This has been a Global Player original production.