Max Verstappen’s coach about working with his department

Briton Bradley Skanes is Max Verstappen’s personal trainer and physiotherapist and is responsible for the physical training of the current world champion. People of his profession usually stay behind the scenes, but when he took part in the next edition of the PitStop podcast, Skanes, who has worked with the British national gymnastics team for a long time, talked about how he got into Formula 1 and how he works with the Red Bull racer races.

Bradley Skanes: “When I got the chance to coach Verstappen, I was working with British gymnasts. But I had acquaintances in the world of Formula 1 and one of them recommended me.

In 2019, after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, I flew to Spain where I met Max and his family for the first time. We talked about various topics, including the fact that his goal is to become a world champion. But almost immediately we came to a mutual understanding. Maybe I got this job because I immediately got on well with Jos, his father.

But at the time I didn’t know much about Max, so at the airport, before flying to Spain, I decided to search the internet for information about this rider to learn more about him.

I don’t think effective coach work is possible without friendship, because you spend a lot of time with your department. You travel together, live in the same hotel, so you have to understand each other well.

Max is a nice humble man who enjoys spending time at home and appreciates the company of his family and friends. We sometimes eat together, talk about football, watch some matches or play FIFA. By the way, it took me three years to start hitting him!

True, if we talk about training, then he does not like this activity at all. His passion is racing, not all our physical training. But he understands the importance of this work, so he trains very disciplined.”