Max Verstappen has warned young drivers to avoid solely seeking a
seat in F1 as a career goal. While Verstappen has fashioned himself
into one of the most successful drivers in F1 history, he has
consistently outlined his desire to venture into other categories.
The Dutchman will get such an opportunity this weekend as he takes
part in a GT3 endurance race around the Nordschleife. Verstappen
has stated he advises young drivers to keep their options open in
the pursuit of an F1 seat, as he highlighted there are various
opportunities outside the pinnacle series to have a strong career.
“It all depends on your own mindset as a driver, because if your
mindset is set on F1, and you do not want to change that
perception, then you’re talking to a wall,” Verstappen told media
including RacingNews365 when asked what advice he would give to
young drivers pursuing a career in racing. “So sometimes with some
of the drivers that I’m close to, they all dream of F1. “I also
always advise to keep the options open just in case it doesn’t work
out, because not everyone always gets the opportunity, even though
you might be good enough. “I also do think that with endurance
racing, there are a lot of opportunities to have a good career, and
just to stare blindly at F1 only sometimes can be a danger as
well.” With just 22 seats available on the grid from next year,
obtaining a seat is a rare achievement and can rely on a driver
being in the right place at the right time. Verstappen admitted for
some drivers, it takes added time for them to realise there is more
to a racing career than F1. “But I also know that a lot of drivers
dream of being here, so it’s not easy to give up that dream as
well,” he said. “But I always feel that once a driver, they start
realising 'I might not make it', and they start trying a GT3 car or
whatever, a hypercar, they fall in love with it as well. “Maybe
sometimes it just takes a bit more time to convince them to not
only stare at F1.”
seat in F1 as a career goal. While Verstappen has fashioned himself
into one of the most successful drivers in F1 history, he has
consistently outlined his desire to venture into other categories.
The Dutchman will get such an opportunity this weekend as he takes
part in a GT3 endurance race around the Nordschleife. Verstappen
has stated he advises young drivers to keep their options open in
the pursuit of an F1 seat, as he highlighted there are various
opportunities outside the pinnacle series to have a strong career.
“It all depends on your own mindset as a driver, because if your
mindset is set on F1, and you do not want to change that
perception, then you’re talking to a wall,” Verstappen told media
including RacingNews365 when asked what advice he would give to
young drivers pursuing a career in racing. “So sometimes with some
of the drivers that I’m close to, they all dream of F1. “I also
always advise to keep the options open just in case it doesn’t work
out, because not everyone always gets the opportunity, even though
you might be good enough. “I also do think that with endurance
racing, there are a lot of opportunities to have a good career, and
just to stare blindly at F1 only sometimes can be a danger as
well.” With just 22 seats available on the grid from next year,
obtaining a seat is a rare achievement and can rely on a driver
being in the right place at the right time. Verstappen admitted for
some drivers, it takes added time for them to realise there is more
to a racing career than F1. “But I also know that a lot of drivers
dream of being here, so it’s not easy to give up that dream as
well,” he said. “But I always feel that once a driver, they start
realising 'I might not make it', and they start trying a GT3 car or
whatever, a hypercar, they fall in love with it as well. “Maybe
sometimes it just takes a bit more time to convince them to not
only stare at F1.”
The post Max Verstappen issues crucial advice over career 'danger' appeared first on RacingNews365.