Jos Verstappen reveals 'surprise' in early F1 talks with Marko

Jos Verstappen has opened up on his initial conversations with Helmut Marko regarding Max Verstappen's surprise Formula 1 promotion. The Dutchman made his F1 debut with Toro Rosso at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, just one year after racing in Formula 3.

Despite his inexperience, Max's talent was undeniable, and teams like Mercedes and Red Bull were eager to sign him. Jos and his son's manager, Raymond Vermeulen, had to weigh their options carefully.

"We already had the same team around us: manager Raymond Vermeulen, who is a good friend of mine," Jos told AutoHebdo. "It was him, Max, and me, and that's still the case today. So we were very well prepared."

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"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."

Marko's offer of a full-time F1 seat was the deciding factor. "I remember it well," Jos recalled. "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."

Jos pushed for a two-year contract instead of one, believing Max needed time to adapt. "Because Max was so young, I thought he needed a first year to settle in," he explained. "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."

That decision laid the foundation for one of the most dominant driver-team partnerships of the 2020s. Max now has four consecutive Drivers' titles, 71 wins, and 131 podiums—a journey that started with a brief conversation at Hockenheim.