Tinini: 'Verstappen was the photocopy of Verstappen in Formula 1 as a child'

Max Verstappen's former karting boss, Giancarlo Tinini, remembers well the moment he discovered the very young talent and says he immediately saw that the Dutchman had potential to become an F1 champion.

Tinini is the owner of CRG Kart and already worked with Verstappen when the reigning world champion was only 12. The Italian immediately saw the young karter's talent and their collaboration was successful. Speaking to Italian Autosprint, Tinini says: "As a child, Verstappen was the photocopy of the Verstappen in Formula 1. The same stubbornness, the same decisiveness and the same character. The way you see him on TV, he was like that even as a child."

Tinini recalls that Verstappen was very attached to his kart and poured his entire time into the vehicle. Unlike other drivers, he did not go out to play. Tinini: "He was already a personality, a little devil, but the passion could be read off his face." Another very remarkable story about Verstappen is about his exceptional speed. Tinini: "Sometimes you could see at the end of the race that he had a flat tyre, you didn't see that in the lap times. Because of his aggression, you never saw that he was in trouble. That was impressive, You were already ninety per cent sure that Max was going to be world champion."

Tinini was there early and soon knocked on father Jos Verstappen's door to ask if the young Verstappen would like to join his team. Father Verstappen initially thought it was too early, but called back to Tinini later in the same year. "The rest is history," Tinini said.