Max Verstappen stepped into Formula 1 as a young talented teenager. Red Bull gave him a drive with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) even before he turned 18 and raised several eyeballs in the paddock.
But soon, all the doubts around him went silent when he recorded his first win in F1 with Red Bull on his debut. However, no matter how good Verstappen turned out to be, no team likes to have the burden of repairing a car after a crash.
And the biggest drawback the Dutchman had in his early days was his recklessness. He left no opportunity to overtake and went aggressive every time, resulting in multiple crashes. So, no matter how grateful the team was to have the latest generational talent with them, his crashes used to irk Helmut Marko.
Helmut Marko told Max Verstappen not to be stupid on track
In the docuseries released by Viaplay on Verstappen, the first episode features Red Bull chief Helmut Marko talking about the two-time world champion. The Austrian reveals how he found his marquee driver a tough person to manage because of his on-track mistakes.
“Max wanted to win every time. Doesn’t care who is fighting with him,” said Marko in Anatomy of a Champion. “Max often overreacted, was impatient, and made stupid mistakes. We make him learn that he doesn’t have to be the fastest every time. Told him, don’t do anything stupid.”
Marko also reveals that the team often pushed him to bring his car safely instead of crashing it while trying something incredible. But Verstappen became a more mature and better driver over the years, so much so he is on the verge of sealing his third title.
Into the Max era!
With the new regulations, Red Bull has emerged as the side to beat. After having a comprehensive title win last year, the Milton-Keynes-based team is even stronger this season.
Such status quo is only benefitting Verstappen as he is once again spearheading them to yet another title campaign. If successful, it would be his third title in a row.
For many, we are already in the ‘Max era’. But his teammate Sergio Perez is also starting to show some of the title ambitions. But in Australia, Verstappen showed why he is regarded as the best driver on the grid. Now, with Azerbaijan GP approaching soon, Red Bull would be eyeing to continue its winning streak.
