Verstappen: 'If you're good, you can adapt to any car'

Father Jos drove in Formula 1 in a very different time than son Max Verstappen. Still, Verstappen sr. thinks Max would have adapted well to the earlier Formula 1 cars.

Physically tougher

Jos Verstappen drove Formula 1 in the 1990s and early 2000s. "It was more physical back then, for your arms and stuff," Verstappen Sr. told Nextgen-Auto. "I think they were more nervous. We were fighting more with the car, because they weren't as balanced."

He, therefore, believes it was a lot harder to drive a Formula One car back then. "But the G-forces experienced with modern Formula One cars are much higher than in our time."

Despite the big differences in the cars, Jos Verstappen thinks Max would have managed even in those days. "Knowing Max, I know he would have adapted well to the cars of my time." His son agreed. "To be honest, I think if you are good, you can adapt to any car. Whether it's a Formula One or a GT, you just have to adapt to the situation."

Accomplished sportsmen

Jos Verstappen can still remember which circuit gave him the most trouble. "Brazil was the most difficult. I had no power steering and it was a counterclockwise circuit, it was very difficult. Because the neck was tired, the shoulders were tired... I couldn't even move after the race."

"I didn't have a machine at home to train on, I relied on my exercises, and it wasn't as professional as the work they do."

Motorsport is a very physically intense sport but Max admitted he hasn't found it too hard even during his F3 days.

"Even in F3 I never really struggled. But of course the power steering helps a lot because it takes a lot of force off the shoulders, and when the shoulders are tired it naturally goes through the neck, so that helps."