Max Verstappen revisits his father’s Honda F1 after 24 years

2022 F1 championship leader Max Verstappen revisited the Honda RA099 his father Jos Verstappen tested but never raced with.

The 2022 Japanese GP will be a special race for Max Verstappen. Verstappen is mere 8 points away from being crowned an F1 double world Champion

He returns to Suzuka, the same circuit where a 17-year-old, Max debuted in F1. He became was the youngest person in history to participate in Formula One when he tested Jean-Éric Vergne’s Toro Rosso in the FP1 in the 2014 Japanese GP.

He would become the youngest driver to drive in F1 when he entered the grid the following season with Toro Rosso. And the rest is history.

Verstappen became the 2021 F1 champion when he beat Lewis Hamilton in the last race of the season. He became the first champion to win the title in a Honda-powered car since Ayrton Senna in 1991.

 

Honda and Red Bull have shared a close connection over the years. Honda is also the title sponsor of the 2022 Japanese GP and the Suzuka circuit is owned by Honda.

Verstappen is their golden boy and he can clinch his second title on the home turf, making it a special weekend for Honda.  As F1 returns to Japan after 3 years, the Japanese automaker planned a special reunion for Verstappen.

Also Read: Former Ferrari team boss says Max Verstappen is as aggressive as Michael Schumacher

Max Verstappen reunited with his Father’s car

Max Verstappen’s father Jos too raced in F1. But Jos did not have an illustrious career like his son. He had driven for minnows and in 1999 he was appointed as Honda’s test driver.

In 1998, Honda was seriously considering a return to the sport as a constructor. They hired designer Dr Harvey Postlethwaite, to design the RA099. The car was tested by Jos in Jerez, Spain.

Honda was to enter F1 in 2000 and if that was the case, Jos would have been their driver. But the project was aborted indefinitely after Postlethwaite’s death during the tests. Jos would race for Arrows F1 in 2000.

Honda rearranged the unraced RA099 for an exhibition. Max Verstappen, overjoyed by his reunion shared pictures of him in the cockpit of the car when he was a baby. He captioned the moment by saying, “Back after more than 20 years.”

Max adds, “It was a very special moment today to be back in the car I sat in as a young boy when my dad drove for Honda. Especially when realizing all the successes we achieved together over the past few

Max thanked Honda for rearranging the memorable car for a quick photo. Jos’s struggle helped him develop his son into a future F1 Champion.

Also Read: 53 GP winner questions Max Verstappen’s father for harsh parenting style

Max Verstappen says no pressure to win the title in Suzuka

Max Verstappen could claim his 2nd F1 championship title with a dominant performance throughout the season. Verstappen has claimed 104 point lead over the nearest contender, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Verstappen needs to increase his lead over Leclerc by just 8 points this weekend to claim the title. If Leclerc finishes P2, Max can win the title if he claims the race win and the extra point for the fastest lap.

The return to Suzuka after 3 years, in the circuit he made his F1 debut and Red Bull’s relationship with Honda make the race quite special. But Verstappen is not pressured to win the title in the race.

He said, “It would be very nice if it happens here. But if it doesn’t happen here, I will be even more in favour of the next race.”

A lot can go wrong in Suzuka. From weather to crashes, so many factors come to play. Max adds, “I need a perfect weekend to be able to clinch the title here. But, to be honest, I’m not thinking about it too much.”

He is still clear of any threat of losing his 2nd Championship crown this race. And the Dutchman can likely wrap up the title in the circuit where it all began!

Also Read: How Max Verstappen can win the 2022 F1 title in Japan