Red Bull’s New Consultant Opens Up on Max Verstappen and His Tough… read more 👇 full details in the comments section
A new figure inside the camp has offered an eye-opening perspective on the close bond between and his father , describing Jos as “old school” and fiercely tough while praising the environment that helped shape Max into one of Formula 1’s greatest talents.
The comments came from Ferrari veteran Gino Rosato, who recently joined Red Bull as a consultant after decades of working within Formula 1. Rosato has known the Verstappen family for years thanks to Jos Verstappen’s long-standing friendship with legendary seven-time world champion .
Jos himself raced in Formula 1 between 1994 and 2003 and even spent a season as Schumacher’s teammate at . Although his own career never reached the heights many expected, he remained deeply connected to the motorsport world, building relationships that later influenced Max’s journey into the sport.
Rosato’s arrival at Red Bull has drawn attention because of Max Verstappen’s current situation within the team. The Dutch driver has reportedly become frustrated with the challenges posed by Formula 1’s 2026 regulations and the team’s recent struggles to maintain dominance. With trusted race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase also expected to leave his role soon, Verstappen is believed to value having familiar allies around him more than ever.
Speaking on the Pitstop podcast, Rosato reflected on his long friendship with the Verstappens and gave an honest assessment of Jos’ personality and parenting style. He described the former F1 driver as someone people should not underestimate, calling him a “pure thug” in the sense that he is extremely tough, direct, and uncompromising.
According to Rosato, Jos’ strict approach played a huge role in building Max’s mentality. He argued that modern parenting can sometimes be overly protective, whereas Jos pushed his son to become mentally stronger and more disciplined from a very young age. Rosato believes that demanding environment helped transform Max into the relentless competitor seen on Formula 1 circuits today.
He suggested that while some people criticize Jos for being hard on his son during Max’s early racing career, the results speak for themselves. In Rosato’s view, Jos created not only an elite racing driver but also someone with strong work ethics and discipline. He praised Max for remaining grounded despite his enormous fame and success.
Rosato also highlighted how difficult it is to dominate Formula 1 at the level Max has achieved. He described Verstappen as one of the sport’s greatest talents since Schumacher, saying very few drivers possess the same level of natural ability, determination, and race intelligence.
Beyond racing, Rosato insisted that the public often misunderstands Max Verstappen’s personality. On track, Verstappen is known for being aggressive, emotional, and highly competitive, but Rosato said the Dutchman behaves very differently away from racing weekends.
He compared Max to former world champion , explaining that both drivers share a straightforward and genuine personality. However, Rosato noted that Verstappen is slightly more expressive than Räikkönen, who was famous for keeping his emotions hidden.
Rosato said one of the things he appreciates most about Max and Jos is their authenticity. According to him, they treat people sincerely rather than judging others based on status, influence, or money. He explained that despite being among the most recognizable names in motorsport, the Verstappens still behave like ordinary people who simply love racing and remain loyal to those close to them.
The veteran consultant also shared that Max is surprisingly approachable behind the scenes. He claimed the reigning champion still responds personally to messages quickly and maintains close relationships with people he trusts, something Rosato believes is rare among athletes operating at such a high level of fame.
Rosato painted the Verstappen story as a classic tale of a father dedicating his life to helping his son achieve greatness. While Jos’ methods have often divided opinion within the motorsport community, Rosato believes they ultimately produced extraordinary results. In his eyes, Max’s rise from karting prodigy to world champion reflects years of sacrifice, discipline, and relentless preparation.
The consultant’s comments are likely to spark debate among Formula 1 fans, especially because Jos Verstappen has long been viewed as one of the sport’s most controversial fathers. Still, Rosato’s perspective offers insight into why many people within the paddock continue to admire the Verstappen family despite criticism from outsiders.
As Max Verstappen continues fighting at the top of Formula 1 with Red Bull, the support system around him — including long-time family friends like Rosato — may become increasingly important during a challenging new era for the team and the sport itself.