Max Verstappen has been exploring new challenges beyond Formula 1, and recently one particular idea has started to gain traction: rally racing. His father, Jos Verstappen, has invited him to compete together in selected rounds of the Belgian Rally Championship (BRC): “Racing a GT3 at the Nürburgring must be incredible, but he should try coming here to rally. Max, think about it, we are waiting for you,” he said with a laugh.
The four-time Formula 1 world champion has always been hesitant about the idea of pursuing rallying, mainly due to the risks involved: “I just think about what would happen if I made a mistake and ended up hitting a tree… It definitely wouldn’t move, and for me that is very dangerous, especially at high speed. Most of the time, when you have an accident, there is a barrier designed to absorb the impact more effectively,” he added.
Jos Verstappen acknowledges that his son’s concerns are more than justified, but he insists that the reality behind the wheel feels very different compared to how it appears from the outside: “He always talks about trees and things like that, but at a certain point you don’t see those trees anymore,” he explained. “You know they are there. You take them into account. But you don’t focus on them.”
“There are sections of the stage where you have to be a bit more cautious. If a dangerous situation arises, then you are more careful. But you learn all of this so that you can incorporate it into your notes,” he concluded.
Now, all that remains is to wait and see whether Max Verstappen will accept his father’s invitation and decide to experience rallying for himself.
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