Max Verstappen character revealed as mechanic speaks of F1 champ's true colours
The Dutchman is a controversial character in the eyes of fans - but his mechanic has told of what he's like to work with
Red Bull mechanic Calum Nicholas says Max Verstappen is misunderstood by F1 fans.
The four time Formula 1 world champion is known for his ruthless performances on track, and straight-talking attitude out of the car, which has seen him divide the opinion of fans - especially during a fierce battle for the 2021 world title with British hero Lewis Hamilton. However when he's with his team, Verstappen is just "one of the boys" according to one of his mechanics.
Calum Nicholas is a Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician at Red Bull Racing and spends every weekend of the season in the same box as Verstappen, but he believes the man team members know is completely different to the one portrayed in the media. Speaking the High Performance Podcast, Nicholas said: "I read peopleās comments on social media and itās absolutely clear that they just donāt get him.
"Thatās fine, because luckily for him heās just not worried about that. He probably sees them (the comments) but I donāt think that it has any impact on him. Max is very clear on why heās there, what his job is and the task heās set. With us, I honestly couldnāt speak highly enough of him. Iāve never idolised drivers and things like that, and itās the same with Max. But he makes it easy. When we go out heās just one of the boys. You can talk to him about absolutely anything; his interests and hobbies, stuff like that.
Red Bull mechanic Calum Nicholas is a big fan of Max Verstappen (Image: High Performance Podcast)
"Thereās no faƧade with Max, heās the same bloke Monday through Sunday. Every day heās the same guy, you can be absolutely honest with him and heāll be absolutely honest with you. For us itās hard to appreciate that when you donāt have a personal relationship with him.
"But I donāt think there's anyone out there who has spent real time with Max and had real conversations with him that would tell you heās mean or whatever. Thatās not him. Heās a very normal guy and I find his honesty refreshing. I like his honesty, I know it can upset people who expect a PR school answer from race drivers. I think weāre very lucky to have such an honest voice in the paddock."
Nicholas also revealed the key to Verstappen's self confidence, adding: "One of the things that Max has never been worried about is anyone going faster than him. He knows how skilled he is, and thatās a bit of a luxury for him. He knows if you can find a lap time then he can find a bit more. And I think thatās something heās used to his advantage."
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