Verstappen sparked some curiosity last month when images began circulating of the Dutchman testing for DTM team Emil Frey in Portugal. While Thierry Vermeulen, the team's regular driver and fellow Dutchman, is known to be supported by Verstappen, the fact that their bond was so close that he spent two days testing his car came as a surprise.
It was not a fun day on the track, as both Verstappen and Emil Frey worked together to develop an intense testing program with different set-ups and clearly defined objectives. As team boss Lorenz Frey-Hilti explained, the aim was to use the F1 star's experience behind the wheel and help the development of 21-year-old Vermeulen.
“The aim of the test with Max was to support Thierry and improve our performance thanks to his feedback,” Frey-Hilti told Motorsport.com, Motorsport-Total.com's sister publication. “He drove on both days. On the first day about 100 laps were done and they alternated. We did a lot of testing.”
Photo credit: Verstappen.com / David Klopman
Max Verstappen, Emil Frey Racing, Portimao testing
“We are honored that he uses our services as a racing team and that we are able to work with him on test days. It is absolutely fantastic.”
Verstappen and Vermeulen's fathers were also present at the Portimao circuit for the test. This is no coincidence: Jos Verstappen is Thierry Vermeulen's coach, while Raymond, the latter's father, is Max's manager. Frey-Hilti was very impressed to see Max Verstappen behind the wheel, praising him for his results that he is able to obtain even on a GT3 car.
“It's always interesting when you meet such famous people in person,” he said. “You think you know the person, but when you meet him in real life, you experience a completely different person. He's incredibly down to earth and a really nice guy. It's great to see how much passion he has for motorsport and the results he achieves.”
“Even with a GT3 car its feedback is on another level than anything I've seen so far. It's world class.”
Photo credit: Verstappen.com / David Klopman
Max Verstappen and Thierry Vermeulen, Emil Frey Racing, Portimao test
Verstappen has limited experience with GT3 cars, but was able to adapt to the Ferrari 296 in no time, according to Frey-Hilti.
“He got into the car and already on the first lap he gave his best. If you look at his onboard and the data, the way he manages the car is extremely impressive. He adapts to the car quickly and always tries to get the maximum. There were also other GT3 cars on site. And I can only say that it is on another level compared to all the others.”
Vermeulen is relatively new to motor racing, having only started competing in GT4 in 2020. In his first season in the DTM, in 2023, he finished 16th for Emil Frey, achieving a best finish of fifth at the Sachsenring.
Thanks to Verstappen's speed, Vermeulen had a lot to learn from his more experienced compatriot. “Thierry is very ambitious and naturally measures himself against Max's times,” Frey-Hilti said. “It's difficult, because his point of reference is the best rider in the world.
“There are many good formula drivers who don't shine due to their lack of experience in a GT3 car. Max is different. He can make anything move with four wheels incredibly fast.”
Photo credit: Verstappen.com / David Klopman
Max Verstappen, Emil Frey Racing, Portimao Test
The two-day test not only served Vermeulen, but was also of great benefit to Emil Frey, who left Lamborghini to race with the new Ferrari 296 in 2023. Verstappen had already helped the team gain crucial tenths in a previous testing at Mugello in July 2023. “Especially in terms of vehicle development, it's brilliant,” Frey-Hilto said of Verstappen.
“The physics is the same everywhere and the vehicle concept is different, but its contribution, when you can test different settings with it, helps the performance of the vehicle immensely. Of course today we have an incredible amount of data to analyze and in the end the drivers must be able to put them into practice. But also in the last test we were able to gain a lot of new experiences in just two days and improve the car. This not only strengthens Thierry, but also us as a team.”
“It is always surprising how precise his statements are. He is extremely involved and you can even see that he is constantly tinkering with set-ups in e-gaming. I was also amazed by his interest in motorsports in general, as well as Formula 1. He knows every category, every race, every championship. He knows every series, every driver, every team.”
Photo by: Verstappen.com / David Klopman
Max Verstappen and Thierry Vermeulen, Emil Frey Racing, Portimao Test
“When others go on their well-deserved holidays, he is still in full training and racing. I think that's what makes him a world champion.”
In addition to the test, Verstappen also visited the Emil Frey workshop in Safenwil, Switzerland, ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November. “It was his wish to see our laboratory and how we are organized to make plans for the future together. He is also a simulator specialist and has tested our facility. Having already driven our car on the track, he was able to give us excellent feedback on how improve”.
Furthermore, it is no secret that the Dutchman also plans to create his own racing team in the future, naturally in the GT3 class, both for reasons of costs and to follow the program more accurately. Creating a Formula 2 and Formula 3 team would be too financially costly and would require more time, while in the world of GT3 there is a different atmosphere. Currently Verstappen has already created a racing team, the Redline team, although at the moment it is only active in the virtual world: the next step is to transform it into a team ready to take to the track.
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