“It Can Upset People”: Calum Nicholas on the Double-Edged Sword of Max Verstappen’s Honesty

The phrase “the truth hurts” is widely used, and it couldn’t be more fitting for Max Verstappen, who is known for his brutal honesty. The Dutchman has often stated that he speaks his mind and refuses to put on a facade in front of the camera, even if his words may be harsh.

Most drivers hesitate to be completely honest on controversial topics, fearing the impact on their public image.

Verstappen, however, doesn’t share that concern. The four-time champion has made it clear that winning is all that matters to him. “I take the trophy home and they go back to their houses and they can have a nice evening,” Verstappen said back in 2023 when he was being booed at the Miami GP.

Not many appreciate his strong diction. However, Red Bull Senior Technician Calum Nicholas believes this honesty is what makes Verstappen unique and authentic.

“He is very much just a normal guy that wants to get on with a job. And I don’t know…it’s refreshing. I’ve always found it refreshing; I like his honesty,” Nicholas said on the High Performance podcast. “I know it can upset people and people expect like these sort of PR-scored answers from drivers I think“.

Verstappen is not particularly rude, but when things don’t go his way, he doesn’t mince his words. This has been especially evident when his car underperforms—such as at the 2024 Hungarian GP, where he lashed out at his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, over the car’s poor balance.

Some may question why Verstappen sometimes gives harsh responses to his team over the radio—the same people helping him win races. Nicholas had an explanation for that as well.

Is Verstappen mean to his Red Bull team members?

With a strong car beneath him in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Verstappen often praised his Red Bull team for their efforts.

However, as he struggled with the RB20’s balance last season, his frustrations were frequently heard over the team radio—a behavior some fans labeled as ungrateful.

I think we can safely say that Max Verstappen is the worst character and most ungrateful driver on the grid.

I feel sorry for Red Bull employees (not Horner).

— XI.V.MM™ (@adonustikuy) July 23, 2024

But Nicholas and the other Red Bull team members never believe that Verstappen is being mean to them when he expresses his frustrations.

“I think the important thing to remember is that they are operating in that window where, you know, they’re under a great deal of pressure,” Nicholas told talkSPORT to explain the stresses that the drivers feel when they are in the cockpit. “We never sit in our garage and think to ourselves, ‘he’s being mean to us’”. 

For Red Bull, the priority is seeing their drivers deliver results on track. As long as Verstappen does that, they are unlikely to take issue with his demeanor—even if it means occasionally bearing the brunt of his frustration.