F1’s 2023 rookie Liam Lawson recently gave an interview where he shed some light on his relationship with Max Verstappen. The New Zealander explained how the Red Bull driver is a “really good guy“.
When asked to share his thoughts about Verstappen, Lawson told Fox Sports Australia, “He’s (Verstappen’s) actually a really, really nice guy out of the car. He’s a really, really good guy.”
Lawson then went on to narrate how Verstappen was among “the few people” who helped and guided him during his brief stint as an F1 driver for AlphaTauri (now V-CARB) last year when he stepped in for an injured Daniel Ricciardo. The 22-year-old then also explained how Verstappen’s aggressive nature on track coupled with his competitiveness often shows him in the wrong light.
However, Lawson believes that outside the car, Verstappen is a great individual to speak with. It is pertinent to note that Lawson isn’t the first driver to say that about the #1 driver.
In the past, the likes of Ricciardo and Lando Norris have explained how Verstappen, in reality, is a very calm and ‘chilled out‘ kind of person. In recent times, Verstappen himself has revealed how he is a simple and relaxed person when he is not competing.
Is Drive to Survive to blame for Max Verstappen’s villain image?
Max Verstappen isn’t the biggest fan of Netflix’s critically acclaimed docuseries, ‘Drive to Survive’. While the show itself has garnered a huge fanbase in the United States of America, the Red Bull driver is far from impressed with the drama the show tends to usually manufacture.
The 26-year-old feels that the show is predominantly to blame for how he is perceived by the media and the fans. While speaking to Australian Talk Show – The Project, Verstappen explained, “You don’t really see a lot of me in Drive to Survive because I don’t like doing it. So yeah, you probably don’t get the right side of me because it’s just an interview. I’m just sitting down in a dark room, and I hate that!”
The Dutchman’s disdain reached a high point during season 4 of the series when he opted to boycott it completely and did not give them any interviews. But after receiving reassurances, Verstappen did return for season 5 of the show.
