Scanes reveals relationship with Verstappen: 'That's how we really bonded'

Max Verstappen will start his tenth Formula 1 season with a different personal trainer. In November 2023, it was announced that Bradley Scanes was going to stop being the performance coach of the now three-time world champion. The British physio has had great times with Verstappen, and he picked out one moment specifically.

Scanes and Verstappen in the COVID period

One period that Scanes remembered most with Verstappen was the coronavirus lockdown period. In 2020, the Brit and Verstappen entered the first year of their partnership, so bonding was important.

"We were lucky and unlucky, I guess. Our first season together was in 2020, and we spent the whole of the pre-season together. We did 8, 9, 10 weeks in Monaco. We did training, we'd have a bit of lunch, play some darts, play some FIFA. We bonded in that way. Then we went out to the first race, and then obviously we all got sent back, and COVID hit," Scanes explained in the Red Flags podcast

Lockdown time was a good moment for Verstappen and his physio

"I think that was a really good moment for us because it forced us to stay together even longer and you couldn't really do anything. You couldn't go out," the British physio revealed. Verstappen did beat Scanes on the aforementioned games (darts and FIFA). When asked if the Brit was competitive in the games against Verstappen, he replied: "I wish they were. I lost a lot of times".