Max Verstappen’s Former Trainer Gives Insight Into His “Not So Glamorous” Job – “Did His Laundry”

Max Verstappen’s Former Trainer Gives Insight Into His “Not So Glamorous” Job - “Did His Laundry”

The idea that paddock insiders always live a glamorous life in the world of F1 has been taken for granted. But as three-time world champion Max Verstappen’s ex-trainer Bradley Scanes reveals, it’s not always about the glitz and glamor. Scanes, who is a human performance consultant by profession, explained how being Verstappen’s trainer also meant doing the ‘menial tasks’ to keep the Dutchman focused on his racing.

As reported by F1Maximaal.nl, Scanes said, “He has everything in his house, so I had to provide an environment in which that was reflected. Then you’re talking about putting together training schedules and managing possible aches and injuries.”

That being said, looking after Verstappen meant more than just conditioning his body for the rigors of modern F1 racing. “I also fed him, carried his equipment. And did his laundry,” revealed the Briton.

According to Scanes, taking these ‘menial’ tasks and worries away from Verstappen’s mind allowed the Dutchman to focus on racing. It was always more about letting Verstappen focus on what mattered the most.

Scanes joined Red Bull and Verstappen’s camp in 2020. After the conclusion to the 2023 season, where Verstappen bagged his third-consecutive world championship and broke several records, Scanes finally called quits on his time as the Red Bull driver’s trainer.

Why Bradley Scanes left Max Verstappen

Scanes, who left Verstappen and F1 in 2023 paid a heartfelt tribute to Verstappen last year. On his Instagram, Scanes wrote, “I’m going to miss you mate. We pushed, We had fun, We won. We accepted nothing less.”

Now that he is away from the world of F1, Scanes lives a more measured and peaceful life. According to him, he does miss not being able to contribute and compete at the very pinnacle of competition. A more relaxed schedule is something he enjoys.

A graduate of the Loughborough University, Scanes is currently heading his own performance coaching brand – Elite Formula Physio & Training which he started back in 2022. With his latest endeavor, he wants to delve deeper into the human performance aspect with his firm catering to more than just athletes but also to “CEOs, and individuals from all walks of life” to reach their full potential.

After parting ways with Scanes, Verstappen was in hunt for a new performance coach, who would continue keeping him in top physical condition. He didn’t have to travel far for that. Carlos Sainz’s performance coach Rupert Manwaring left the Spaniard, and is now working with Verstappen.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Max Verstappen

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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