Jos Verstappen believes an improved mental mindset in races has led to the upturn in results for his son Max.
The Dutchman has rebounded from a difficult start to the 2018 season, which saw incidents with Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo in three consecutive races.
After arguably his best performance of the year last weekend in Sochi, his team boss Christian Horner believed the events in Monaco were a turnaround for Verstappen and now his father has explained exactly what changed.
“After Monaco, he took some good steps. He now thinks a bit more during the races,” he told Holland’s Ziggo Sport.
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Indeed, since Monte Carlo, the 21-year-old has scored five podiums (including a win in Austria), out-qualified Ricciardo at every race and now has a 24-point advantage over the Australian in the Drivers’ Championship.
While some initially thought a lack of entourage in Canada might have helped Max focus, former Benetton driver Jos does want to take some credit for his less impulsive nature on track.
“Did I tell him that? Yes, several times,” he smiled. “We discuss everything together and he listens because we have agreed that I can always have my say. But he does what he wants.”