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.”
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