(Motorsport-Total.com) – Whether it’s Formula 1, various sports car races, the 24h Nürburgring, or Le Mans: Red Bull star Max Verstappen is actually open to trying out other racing series during his career. However, entering rally racing is out of the question for the four-time world champion.
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“I think it’s really cool, but I just think about the fact that if I make a mistake and hit a tree – the tree doesn’t move. That’s the limit for me,” says Verstappen in the podcast Up To Speed. “That’s something I don’t want to do. It’s just too high a risk.”
“And I know that might sound a bit silly, but in Formula 1, in the event of an accident, at least in most cases, there is a barrier – a properly constructed barrier that should cushion the impact better. In my imagination, it’s a bit different.”
“It’s a risk I don’t want to take, but it’s really cool to see,” Verstappen admits. The 28-year-old Dutchman even has a family background in it: of all people, his father Jos Verstappen is currently active in the European Rally Championship (ERC).
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“Yes, honestly, it’s pretty crazy,” grins Verstappen Junior, highlighting his father’s performances. “What I find really impressive is that he’s now 53 years old, almost 54, and racing against guys who are in their late 20s, early 30s.”
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“In some championships, he even beats them. And of course, in rallying, a lot depends on the pace notes, but in the end, if you drive a certain rally a few times, you rely to some extent on memory. If you do it for a few years, you automatically get better.”
“He’s really good at it, to be honest. He loves it,” reveals the Formula 1 pilot. “He’s very hard to beat. If we, for example – let’s say you rent a small piece of space at an airport and they set up a track and we drive together, then honestly I have to give it my all to beat him on a lap.”
“And I like doing that,” Verstappen admits. Nevertheless, a start in rallying and on “a real stage” is never an option for him. “He shows me all the videos of him driving in whatever rally car, I mean, I find that really impressive.”
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