Max Verstappen reveals reason behind McLaren driver signing

Max Verstappen believes teenage prospect Dries Van Langendonck is “a little bit more special” than his rivals after making the Belgian the first junior driver to join Verstappen Racing.

The Belgian was announced as the first junior member of Verstappen Racing, which will coincide with the McLaren Driver Development Programme, of which he was already a part.

Max Verstappen reacts to McLaren driver signing

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Verstappen Racing has been growing year on year and the signing of its first junior driver represents a significant milestone for the eponymous founder.

As to why Verstappen wanted to work with the 15-year-old, he said he got the impression the 15-year-old was “more special” than his peers.

“He has been a big talent for a long time already in go-karting, and I think you can spot quite quickly when someone is a little bit more special than someone else,” Verstappen said.

“I think that has carried on with what he’s doing right now in Formula 4, and that’s why I think it’s just very exciting to try and help him and guide him, of course hand in hand with McLaren’s side as well, to make the right decisions for his future.

“He wants to get to Formula 1, and I’m just trying to make sure that will happen in the future. It’s honestly a very exciting project to be part of.”

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Van Langendonck, who was born in the same Belgian city as Verstappen, was described as having the “raw speed” needed for F1 by the Red Bull driver but he did say there was “still a lot to learn.”

“To F1, I don’t know, but for me it just needs to be exciting and promising, and that’s what I feel is happening now with Dries,” Verstappen, who was just two years older than Van Langendonck when he made his F1 debut, said.

“Of course, the goal, like I said before, is Formula 1, so we’re just going to try and help him achieve that by making, hopefully, the right calls and decisions in terms of where he has to race, what he has to do, help him on the simulator side as well, and just try to give him more and more experience.

“He’s only 15, so there’s still a lot to learn naturally, but luckily, I think, in terms of raw speed, that’s there. From my side, of course, with the GT3 project and the future endurance races that I want to do myself, I want to involve the team in that as well.

“There are just a lot of exciting things ahead, probably. He’s very good for a 15-year-old. Compared to myself when I was 15, he’s very, very good at the same age.”

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