Clear the air talks 'huge part' of Verstappen success

Max Verstappen's former performance coach Brad Scanes has revealed that the Red Bull driver's family are incredibly open, a factor which has played a "huge part" in his recent success.

Verstappen is on a run of three consecutive titles and is the favourite to secure a fourth drivers' championship this season, which would see him replicate Sebastian Vettel's feat for Red Bull from 2010-2013.

Having previously worked with Verstappen, including during his titanic 2021 duel with Lewis Hamilton, Scanes has first-hand experience of how the 26-year-old and his inner circle work.

Scanes was pleased to discover that the reigning world champion, his father Jos Verstappen and manager Raymond Vermeulen worked in a similar manner to him, in that they were all "very open".

According to Scanes, this has played a role in how successful Verstappen has been, with the former coach explaining how any mistakes made by those close to the Dutchman would immedietly be discussed to enable them to move on.

"I think just clarity of vision," Scanes said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. "We were all there to achieve the same thing. We were all there to win a world championship and guide Max through that. But also have a good time doing it as well.

"They're a very open and honest group as well, and that suited the way that I like to work as well. So if someone's not happy about something, nothing ever goes unsaid.

"You sort it out there and then. If you make a mistake, you come in and say, 'sorry, mate, I made a mistake.' And chat it out if it needs to be chatted out, or we just say, 'yeah, that's fine,' and move on from there.

"It doesn't go unnoticed that that's a huge part of his success as well."

2021 'Mind games'

As mentioned, Scanes worked with Verstappen during the 2021 season, a year which ended under the most controversial of circumstances.

It was undoubtedly one of the most exciting seasons in F1 history, which saw the Red Bull driver and Hamilton duel at an incredible level.

The pair had to battle on and off the circuit to gain an advantage, even in the cool down room.

"As someone in sport, working in sport, I consider myself extremely lucky to be a part of that season," Scanes said.

"We just witnessed two of the best go at it head-to-head, neck and neck, and you don't often get that opportunity.

"It's the little things they'll try and do to get one over each other. In the cool down room after a race, who could be the longest to get ready and take the most time. And it's those little mind games that those two were playing with each other.