How Verstappen learned to not always go full throttle for every win

20:21, 25 Aug

Updated: 21:05, 25 Aug

byKevin Doldersum

Max Verstappen can now be considered one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. With four world titles under his belt, he is part of a very exclusive club, but what made him succeed so well? His former trainer, Bradley Scanes, explains in detail.

Scanes worked with the reigning Formula 1 champion from 2020 until the end of 2023. He ensured that Verstappen could perform optimally on the track. This collaboration clearly bore fruit, as the Dutchman won the world championship three times with the Brit by his side.

The Brit revealed in the High Performance Podcast how he gradually changed Verstappen. In 2021, a magnificent duel took place between the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton for the title. In the end, the Red Bull driver took it. A change in his mentality compared to previous years was however necessary according to Scanes.

Bradley Scanes (left) and Max Verstappen (right)

Adjusting the Verstappen mindset

"2019, 2020, his mentality was I'm on the grid, I'm going to win this race. I want to win every single race. Every time I go out there, I want to win," began the Dutchman's former trainer.

According to Scanes, it was crucial that Verstappen no longer went all out for each victory. This was how the Red Bull driver was until 2020, explained the Brit. "In 2021, we had to, we had to be clever because if going for a race win meant that we came P7 or we DNFed, we're not going to win a world championship, we have to finish second."

"If Lewis is finishing first, we have to finish second. If Lewis is finishing first, we have to finish second. And that was a huge mindset shift going into a race and saying, boys, we're not gonna, we're not going to be P1 today. Let's make sure we get P2," said Scanes.

We had to be second. If Lewis won, then we had to simply be second.

- Bradley Scanes

So how did he manage to instill this in Verstappen? The trainer revealed that as well. He concluded with: "Make the desire for victory in the world championship and just, just reconceptualize it a little bit, reframe it. This isn't about winning races anymore. You've won races. You don't need more race wins. You're going to win many more races in your career, but this is our chance to win a world championship. We don't know if it's going to come again."

Farewell Scanes and Verstappen

At the end of 2023, the paths of Verstappen and Scanes separated. His former trainer of the four-time world champion also talked about this in the podcast. Rupert Manwaring is now the personal trainer of the Red Bull driver.