While driving for Red Bull may be a dream for many drivers, there is an aspect to being a member of a team that makes things tricky for them. Being the second driver at Red Bull is often seen as a curse since being Max Verstappen’s partner is not the easiest thing in the world. While many have given it a go, most have found it tough to find success. However, reports by PlanetF1 say the drivers who suffered because of Verstappen don’t have malice against him.
Verstappen set incredibly high-performance standards that made it difficult for his former teammates to reciprocate what he was achieving. Per Independent.co.uk’s report, Helmut Marko said Carlos Sainz was unlucky to have the Dutchman as his partner at Toro Rosso as the two shared a toxic relationship.
The team then replaced Pierre Gasly as Verstappen’s partner and brought in Alex Albon as Sky Sports reported Gasly could only register a third of the Dutchman’s total points in 2019. Albon did not fare too well either, as he was also cut from the team by failing to close the gap.
Now, Verstappen’s latest teammate, Sergio Perez, also finds himself in a similar spot, with 125 points separating the two Red Bull drivers midway into the 2023 season.
Max Verstappen receives praise from his former teammates
Heading into his home GP in Zandvoort, Max Verstappen will look to equal Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive GP wins. Speaking to PlanetF1, Carlos Sainz addressed whether he saw signs of greatness from the 25-year-old when they were teammates in Toro Rosso.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all because I’ve always, since I debuted with him in 2015, which is now eight years ago, I’ve always seen that hype and I’ve always understood it because obviously he’s a special talent and someone that is performing really, really well since the beginning.”
With the defending champ collecting a lot of hype, Gasly also shed light on how he was also witness to Verstappen’s greatness during their karting days.
“It was clear already from the very young age, when we raced in karting, the hype around him was already very different to any other drivers.”
Gasly also mentioned it was Max Verstappen’s relationship with his father, Jos Verstappen, that was also crucial in the former making his entry into the F1 circuit and showcase his immense talent.
Jos Verstappen’s relentless training brought his son to where he’s at
Max Verstappen’s introduction to F1 began from his own home. His father was a Formula 3 champion in 1993, but he never won a race in the F1. Verstappen senior chose violence to teach his son how to win. An environment of seriousness and dedication taught Verstappen Jr. to stay focused and relentless, according to Jaime Alguarsuari.
Max Verstappen now stands at the precipice of one the most historic seasons in F1 history. With ten wins already under his belt, the Dutchman will look to better his previous record of fifteen wins in a season. Additionally, he will also look to break Vettel’s record for most consecutive F1 wins.
