Max Verstappen, despite becoming a three-time World Champion, has not changed much as a person over the years. He is still straightforward and blunt, which surprises many, including Le Mans driver Clem Novalak.
On the Track Limits podcast, Novalak revealed why he is a huge fan of Verstappen. He first met him through a friend, and the way the Dutchman approached Novalak, baffled him. He said,
“He turned around to me and goes, ‘If you hadn’t f*cked up sector two in qualifying, you could have done a much better job, mate’. And I was like, you know who the f*ck I am?”
Soon, however, Novalak realized that Verstappen was just being upfront and honest like always. He admitted,
“For a double World Champion. Or World Champion at that time, to give you that time, not a lot of drivers do that.”
[@tracklimitspod] Clément Novolak: I personally love Max in the sense he’s a no-bullshit driver… When I first got introduced to him, he turned around to me and went, “If you hadn’t fucked up sector 2 in qualifying, you could have done a much better job mate” and I was like… Do you know who I am??
byu/OutlandishnessPure2 informula1
Novalak may not have met Verstappen before that incident, but the Red Bull driver was likely familiar with him and his craft. A huge fan of endurance racing, Verstappen watches a lot of different racing series and plans on competing in different disciplines in the future.
It is his passion for GT and endurance racing, that may overtake his desire to succeed in F1 very soon.
Verstappen’s racing plans for the future
Verstappen’s current contract with Red Bull expires at the end of the 2028 season when he will be 30 years old. Per him, it will be a good time to leave F1, because he doesn’t want to drive at an old age like Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso‘s.
However, that doesn’t mean he will step away from racing. One of Verstappen’s dreams is to compete in Le Mans, and he could partner up with his father Jos – a seasoned endurance driver – to try and win the prestigious race.
Two-time F1 Champion Alonso -who has already won Le Mans before – also wants to partner up with Verstappen.
Away from the track too, Verstappen wants to be involved with racing. With his Verstappen.com venture, the 26-year-old plans on empowering sim-racing drivers to elevate their status in real-world motorsport.
