What makes Max Verstappen different from his fellow Formula 1 drivers? It is a question that we posed to former Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende when we talked extensively with him about the royal class and Verstappen’s role in it: “That’s a good question,” Balkenende counters. But the former politician has a well-considered and above all very complete answer to that question. His answer depends on four factors.
“It is of course true that all those Formula 1 drivers really can do something, after all you don’t just drive in Formula 1. But Max Verstappen is exceptional. When he first drove in Red Bull, he immediately won his first race “That was a great start. But even before that it was clear that he could make great overtakes. We have seen for years that he is someone with enormous potential. His driver qualities are evident.”
“That is something that stands out worldwide, which makes it popular not only in the Netherlands, but also in other parts of the world. He is a trendsetter. People did not like F1 for a long time because there was not enough tension. Verstappen ensures that that tension is there now. He is very talented and perhaps the best at the moment.”
So just an extremely good driver, but is that enough? Verstappen combines those qualities as a driver in Balkenende’s eyes with more things: “Secondly, he is also just a very pleasant person as a person. He is very good at communicating, his interviews for example are always nice to listen to, because he has a sense of humor. has and is relaxed.”
“Verstappen a professional at work”
“I myself have experienced that he gives interviews ten minutes before the start of the race and that shows a certain relaxation. You then also hear that over the on-board radio. Then you really hear a professional at work. You can be good as a driver, but it’s also important how you look.”
He also considers a third factor that the former prime minister of the Netherlands wants to point out not unimportant: “How you deal with people also plays a role, of course. I have experienced him up close several times at Zandvoort. He is being discussed on all sides. drawn and I can imagine that is very tiring, but he is always there for the people and shows his respect for the people who support him.”
“In Austria, for example, you always see him going to his fans. He has a lot with people and that makes him loved. He is open to others and that makes him very strong.”
On last but not least Balkenende acknowledges the very important role that father Jos Verstappen played in the whole. From a distance, Balkenende can really enjoy the interaction between the two generations: “I have a lot of contact with Jos, especially during races. That whole phenomenon of father and son, where Jos has done a lot for Max, that’s great to see. Those are fascinating stories that people like to hear. I think those are the reasons why things turned out this way for Max.”
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