Max Verstappen delivers the lion’s share of his performance all by himself, but the Dutchman won’t get far without the right people around him. In addition to sounding board and father Jos, the world champion is surrounded by Team Verstappen on the circuits.
Team Principal: Christian Horner
Figurehead, paddock politician and the man who has set the lines at Red Bull Racing for almost two decades. Christian Horner is currently in his second dominant phase with the team. He previously won four world titles with Sebastian Vettel.
The 49-year-old Englishman is now the longest-serving team boss in Formula 1 and plays an important role as the face of the sport. Especially due to his healthy rivalry with Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff, Horner has increasingly played a leading role in the royal class in recent years.
Horner found his way in Formula 1 after he quickly realized that the top as a driver was unattainable. The Briton then focused on his own team Arden. That team was successful, including with Robert Doornbos in Formula 3000. From 2005, Horner was employed by Red Bull as team boss. Together with Helmut Marko, he developed the formation into the successful team it is today.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Photo: Getty Images
Advisor: Helmut Marko
Officially, eighty-year-old Helmut Marko is an ‘advisor’ within the team, but that advice is often binding. The Austrian is the link between the parent company and the two racing teams. Moreover, he is in charge of the drivers.
Marko determines who drives which car and manages Red Bull’s training program. The former driver has been doing this since the team’s existence, and with success: many drivers entered Formula 1 via Red Bull, with Verstappen and Vettel as the most successful examples.
Marko’s career in the premier class was limited to nine races, because he lost an eye in 1972 due to a stone that went through his helmet visor. At that time, the driver from Graz had already won the 24 hours of Le Mans, together with the Dutchman Gijs van Lennep. Marko is ‘Doktor der Rechte’ and is therefore often referred to as ‘Doktor Marko’.
Helmut Marko in conversation with Jos Verstappen. Photo: Getty Images
Manager: Raymond Vermeulen
Verstappen knows his business interests are well looked after by his manager Raymond Vermeulen, who has been part of the ‘Camp Verstappen’ since the Formula 1 days of father Jos. Vermeulen is almost always present on the circuits and maintains ties with Red Bull and Verstappen’s personal sponsors, among other things.
Raymond Vermeulen (right) talks with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. Photo: Getty Images
Technical director: Pierre Waché
At Red Bull, Adrian Newey always gets a lot of credit when it comes to car design, but Pierre Waché is the team’s technical director. The Frenchman is basically head of the car’s design, while Newey plays a more overarching role within Red Bull.
The 48-year-old Waché entered Formula 1 through Michelin, then worked at Sauber and since 2013 for Red Bull. The engineer has been technical director since 2018 and, together with Newey, among others, he is responsible for the cars of Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Pérez.
Technical director Pierre Wache. Photo: Getty Images
Race engineer: Gianpiero Lambiase
His name sounds very Italian, but over the on-board radio Gianpiero Lambiase sounds like a real Englishman. Verstappen’s race engineer was therefore born in London. ‘GP’ accompanies the world champion through the race weekends and is the link between the team and the driver.
Lambiase has been working at Red Bull since 2015, after a long stay at the current Aston Martin. That then raced under the names of Jordan, Midland, Spyker and Force India. Verstappen has been working with Lambiase since his debut race in 2016 for Red Bull, and the Limburger previously announced that he would stop if ‘GP’ stopped. Despite the fierce exchanges of words on the on-board radio, the mutual relationship is therefore excellent.
Gianpiero Lambiase goes through data with Verstappen. Photo: Getty Images
Performance-engineer: Tom Hart
In addition to a race engineer, Verstappen also has a performance engineer with Tom Hart. The Briton is mainly concerned with the performance of the car and ensures that the adjustment is optimal and according to Verstappen’s wishes. Hart will be Verstappen’s performance engineer from 2021.
Tom Hart on the podium with winner Verstappen in Baku. Photo: Getty Images
First mechanic: Chris Gent
As first mechanic, Chris Gent is in charge of the group of mechanics who work on Verstappen’s car. The Brit is Red Bull furniture; he has been working for the team since 2008 and, for example, already worked on Mark Webber’s car. In Verstappen’s first years at Red Bull, Ghent was always on the ‘other’ car, so those of Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon. Since 2021, the technician has been Verstappen’s first mechanic.
First Mechanic Chris Gent. Photo: Getty Images
Fysio: Bradley Scanes
Formula 1 drivers must be in top shape. At Verstappen, this is the responsibility of Bradley Scanes, who has been the Dutchman’s ‘performance coach’ since the beginning of 2020. That means a lot of getting together for training between race weekends and warm-up sessions on the track. Scanes is also a physiotherapist and thus ensures the full physical guidance of Verstappen.
Verstappen with his physio and trainer Bradley Scanes. Photo: Getty Images
Press officer: Gemma Lusty
Talking to the media and being on time for all kinds of track appointments: drivers have a full schedule for it. This is provided at Verstappen by Gemma Lusty, who has been working at Red Bull since 2019. The British drags Verstappen past all camera crews and journalists after qualifying and races, is present at interviews and keeps an eye on what is being said and asked.
Gemma Lusty makes sure Verstappen shows up on time everywhere. Photo: Getty Images
2023-08-22 03:01:26
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