P1racenews AI automatic summary:
A former Toro Rosso team manager when Max Verstappen raced for the outfit, believes a lesson learned by his father Jos Verstappen instilled the value of being a team’s number one driver.
Graham Watson, a former F1 team manager, believes that Michael Schumacher’s influence has shaped the way Max Verstappen is perceived at Red Bull. Watson recalls that when Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, was racing for Benetton in 1994, he felt that Schumacher received preferential treatment and had better equipment. This belief may have influenced Max’s mindset and his competitive nature against his teammates. Verstappen has consistently outperformed most of his teammates, apart from Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo. Watson, who was the team manager of Toro Rosso when Verstappen made his F1 debut, suggests that Jos’s experience at Benetton led him to instill in Max the idea of being the team’s top priority and defeating his teammates. Watson concludes that Max, like his father, understands that equipment alone is not enough, and talent is what ultimately sets you apart.
