Jos Verstappen has offered an insight into the talks he held with Helmut Marko regarding his son Max’s promotion to F1.
Verstappen made his single-seater debut in 2014 as he competed in the European Formula 3 Championship, competing for the title.
His strong karting career and ascension to car racing saw him generate interest from F1 teams, primarily Mercedes and Red Bull, who both rushed to sign him.
As Jos and Raymond Vermuelen, who remains Max’s manager today, pondered their options, they met with both Toto Wolff and Marko.
“We already had the same team around us: manager Raymond Vermeulen, who is a good friend of mine,” Verstappen told AutoHebdo.
“It was him, Max, and me, and that’s still the case today. So we were very well prepared.
“Toto Wolff and Helmut Marko were both in talks with us. They were pushing to sign him. And we did our job: finding the best environment for Max.”
Verstappen’s camp was able to be swayed by Marko due to his promise to hand the Dutchman a full-time seat for 2015.
While it marked an unprecedented move given Verstappen’s youth and lack of single-seater experience, his father Jos pushed for improved terms.
“I remember it well,” Verstappen said. “I was at Hockenheim, and it was a typical conversation with Helmut.
“He came over to our table and said, ‘I only have 20 minutes.’ I told him that was more than enough time to talk. His opening line was: ‘I want Max with us in F1 next year’.
“I was very surprised that he said that, so I replied, ‘Okay, Helmut, let’s do it – but for two years, not just one’.
“Because Max was so young, I thought he needed a first year to settle in, and that he could then show how good he was in the second year.
“But he adapted so well; he had such a great first year in 2015 that they promoted him to Red Bull as early as the second year. That was a good thing.”