My plan was to put him on a go-kart track when he was six years-old but he was with his mum at a track in Genk and he called me up crying because he saw a younger guy driving on the track. He said to me 'Daddy, I want to do this,' so when I got home from the Canadian GP, I bought him a go-kart and that's how he started.
Jos Verstappen
Being team-mate to Michael Schumacher at Benetton in my first year of Formula One was certainly a high pressure situation.
The most important thing is that at a certain moment you can drive.
My favorite change is taking traction control away and launch control, because my starts are pretty good, I think, and I make always some places up in the start and I think that will be great if that comes back to the driver's hand.
In F1 everything involves money, but there are other details to work on.
I am very pleased to be back in F1 and to have signed to drive for Minardi.
People are asking that question again if Max is being too tough on his equipment, but that's complete nonsense. He can't overdrive, he can't break the material. We all know what it is: it's just the equipment that isn't good enough.
It is a very good to drive a top car.
The biggest chance to overtake is in the first two laps of a race. Later on will always be more difficult.
Everyone wants to see racing. This is what F1 is for and this is what it is.
It takes a little time to return to a Formula One car after 15 months away and to get back in the rhythm again, but after about 20 laps, I was feeling really comfortable and enjoying myself.
I am happy that I will be able to drive again and I will also see Eddie Jordan again, as it's been some time since I had direct contact with him. I am really curious to see what it's like with the Jordan team and how they will react to me, what they want to tell me.
We know motorsport is dangerous, but it does not make we want to stop, or make Max stop.
My whole life is about racing, and of course everybody wants to do the same with your son. Being a father and doing motor racing with him goes hand in hand.
I'm always responsible and a father, you want the best for your children. You push hard. You have to teach him things of life.
I learned a lot from my career.
Suzuka is a nice circuit.
When you only qualify in 18th position, you have to take your chance off the grid.
Back in 1994 I really didn't enjoy myself, but for the last couple of years I have enjoyed myself much more.
I think I did a pretty good job - particularly when I was racing with Hakkinen. It was maybe the first time that I have been challenging with the big boys, and I really enjoyed it.
As soon as it rains, I am very good, very, very competitive; when the track dries it is not so easy.
I have to be ready: I am focused, physically fit, ready to get in a car and go fast.
As soon as you go off the racing line you go through all the dust and then have to spend time cleaning up your tires.
It was always a dream for me to come to Jordan. Of course I want to be back in Formula One.
I have a big following in Holland and I think they will come to a lot of the races.
The more cars, the better show.
In some circumstances Max just has to think more. I don't want him to change his driving style.
But, being away from Formula One for a whole year, I think it's not easy to come back into Formula One because people forget very quickly about you - it was really hard to go back.
I'm asked to drive touring cars, I'm asked to drive IndyCar, but I think Formula One is much more hi-tech and that's where I want to be in as long as I can.
Sponsoring is very important for Formula One and, if a driver can help with it, it's a help.
I think that's a very good point they're bringing into Formula One at the moment, to get rid of all the electronics. And I think that's what a Formula One driver needs. That's why they are a Formula One driver. They need to drive themselves.
I must say I always liked to come to Australia.
The Russian Vitaly Petrov I feel was the worst newcomer and the worst driver.
I don't mind to compete, the age doesn't matter I think, you still have to brake and turn the wheels like everybody else has to, we're all running the same car so I have nothing to lose really.
Continuity in Formula One can never be underestimated.
A1 Ring is a circuit where no one can test, so all teams are in the same boat.
A driver has to be strong in his mind anyway to survive in this sport. And if he is mentally not ready at 17, then he is also not ready at 20.
Of course, health is the most important thing, but shutting down the entire economy for months is also not an option. Everyone should use their common sense.
A race without journalists also has one advantage for Max: he does not have to give so many interviews.
