Max Verstappen described as 'the biggest F1 beast' after being raised by 'pure thug' Jos

Jos Verstappen has been described as "a pure, pure thug", but has additionally been praised for raising "a giant" and "the biggest beast" in Formula 1 in Max Verstappen.

Verstappen Sr is known to have brought up his son the hard way, turning him into a ruthless driver who has gone on to become a four-time F1 champion.

Whatever Verstappen Sr's style of parenting, it has reaped its rewards, as viewed by a close friend of both men, Gino Rosato, who was a long-serving managerial figure at Ferrari for over two decades, and inside F1 for more than 30 years.

Rosato said that he remembers the Verstappens more during their early days in the paddock than they will remember him, but over time their friendship has grown.

Speaking on the Pitstop podcast, that relationship allowed Rosato to claim Jos is “a pure, pure thug". He added: "Don’t fuck around with Jos. He’s a pure guy. He’s an honest guy. It's old school, and what are you gonna tell him? ‘You did bad?'

“He created the biggest beast on the face of Formula 1, or one of them, for sure.

"You put s**t in the garden, the flowers grow, and he made a gentleman. He made a great driver. But with old work ethics.

"Jos, he would leave Max sometimes on the race track, racing and all that, and I think this is what this world has lost a little now.

“When I see people being parents today, they’re just babying all the time. And, ‘Oh, what does he need?’

“Jos doesn’t come from that school. [He would say] ‘F**king figure it out. Let’s go. You want to be the best? This is what it takes’.

"Not only did he create this phenomenal driver, [a] giant, and I use the word giant very little, but when I say the word 'giant', you know...but as a person, he's as nice as the father."

Rosato, who is also godfather to Robin Raikkonen, the son of 2007 F1 champion Kimi, feels the Verstappens are very straight people and that Max should be proud of Jos' input throughout his life and career.

As for Jos, he should ignore those who have dared to criticise him for his way of being a father.

“When you’re on the top, they’re all aiming at you," he said. "You did this. They’re all looking for particulars, but, let’s be honest, in the last...after Michael [Schumacher], he’s been the best driver hands down.

"But then you see them off track. I'm not getting paid by anybody to say this, but it is what it is, and after 32 years in the business, you've seen them all. Some get mixed up, some start going in all directions.

“Max, it's pure. He is extremely similar to Kimi. He’s a bit more spicy, a bit more open-minded. Kimi will suffer in silence and lash out once in a while.

“But I could text Max right now, and he’s going to answer me back within two minutes. That’s the same thing with Jos. They're not measuring people by the money you're going to bring, or who you are.

"They're not subconsciously playing the game backwards. They're just genuinely like that. [They are] pure nice people doing their job, creating a family story, with a father helping out a kid, teaching the kid, ‘This is the real world’.”