“I would prefer to not be known”– Max Verstappen would like to remain without fame to live a normal life with his freedom and friends.
Max Verstappen is the heartthrob of the Dutch people, as it was evident in the recent reception he received during his home race, and as he is challenging the hegemony of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes this year, he is gaining quite a popularity.
But Verstappen has a different inclination and confessed that he would rather prefer to live in anonymity to lead a normal life with his friends, as his public appearance obviously attracts overwhelming attention.
“I love, of course, having support. It’s not going to give me lap time, but it brings a smile on my face,” Verstappen told reporters. “I think as a driver, you shouldn’t really think about [attention] too much.”
“You just have to focus on what you have to do on-track because at the end of the day, that made this [Dutch Grand Prix] happen. You should never forget that.”
Asked if he would like anonymity, he replied: “Oh, I would prefer to not be known. Just to be yourself, you [can] walk around wherever you want to go with your friends.”
“But I also know it’s a part of Formula 1, and I knew that already from when I was very little, seeing other drivers have this. But it’s fine. I mean, I live, it’s all good.”
Not yet!
Verstappen remained stoic while winning the Dutch GP and avoiding a frenzy celebration despite a large crowd in Zandvoort going frenzy after his win. However, Verstappen talking to Channel 4, admitted that winning in front of the home crowd hasn’t sunk in.
“Probably not yet, maybe more at the end of the season,” he said. “But I also know a few tracks are coming up where I know Mercedes will be powerful.”
“It will go a bit back and forth. I’m still enjoying the moment of winning here but of course, also looking ahead. It’s all in tiny details where you can make a difference and we need to make sure we keep doing it every single weekend.”
Asked how he would celebrate the win, Verstappen gave another glimpse of his life outside F1. “I go home,” he replied. “I’ve been away for over two weeks, and honestly, I want to get home, see my cats – they have probably destroyed the whole apartment!
“[I’ll] probably do some renovation, chill out a bit and get ready for Monza.”
