Despite his fiery nature on the track, Max Verstappen has a hilarious personality which he has showcased time and again during media engagements and interviews. The Dutchman keeps a similar demeanor with the Red Bull honchos as well, having spent his formative years as a racer with them. An old clip highlights how he wanted to give Helmut Marko a mini heart attack.
In this clip from his documentary, on his way to the Monaco circuit, Verstappen was informed about the rainy weather prediction for Saturday and Sunday. The Dutchman instantly expressed his desire to avoid this troublesome scenario. He showcased his hilarious side by saying he wanted to share this with Marko to prank him.
As soon as he was told about the rains, he said, “Then I’ll just go home now. I’m going to ring Helmut and say I won’t drive [in conditions] like this.” Right after this statement he started discussing Monaco’s weather.
“It’s going to rain on Saturday and Sunday.”
Max: Then I’ll just go home now.
I’m going to ring Helmut and say I won’t drive like this.–
He wants to give Helmut a heart attack pic.twitter.com/PVnGCgb4fN— zax (@maybezax) August 16, 2024
This highlights the kind of relationship he and Marko share. The two are extremely close which was also made evident by the exit clause Verstappen had in his contract. However, it’s not all fun and games between the two as often the Austrian executive puts the hammer down.
Marko bans Verstappen from his late-night gaming shenanigans
Verstappen has done sim-racing late at night on many occasions and has not let it hamper his on-track performance. However, at the 2024 Hungarian GP, the Red Bull man did late-night racing till 3 am and it showed on the track.
Verstappen’s high irritability throughout the race was highly criticized, with many speculating that it was due to his late-night sim-racing. Thus, it earned him a gaming ban from Red Bull during race weekends. However, the 26-year-old was unfazed.
Soon after receiving the ban, he was heard joking about it with his iRacing team on his Twitch stream. He said, “He had a night out last night so. Not me, of course. I was tucked in the bed by 9,” while revealing what his F1 team colleagues were up to.
This is just another instance of the relationship he shares with his team and the higher-ups in the team. Red Bull is truly built around the Dutchman and that will be true at least till the end of 2028. Beyond that, it’s anybody’s guess what career path the three-time champion will choose.
