Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen has openly spoken against Formula 1 in recent months, with him having threatened to quit the sport should certain things continue to happen.
The Dutchman has been hugely critical of the expanding calendar and the introduction of sprint races, which he was against ever since they were initially discussed.
Verstappen very much prefers the traditional weekend format, of three free practice sessions, qualifying and the race.
Interestingly though, he’s since admitted that he’s not too bothered about the expanding calendar in particular but is unhappy with the amount of marketing work he has to do.
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The Thursday ahead of a Grand Prix is referred to as ‘media day’, where a significant amount of filming and interviews take place.
With the calendar expanding, Verstappen is having to do an increased amount of marketing work ahead of races, alongside his regular simulator duties.
He openly admits that it gets to a “certain point” when he simply doesn’t want to do it anymore, with it making Thursdays in particular “very long”.
“A Thursday before a race weekend is sometimes already very long, although it depends on where we are,” Verstappen told De Telegraaf.
“Outside the Grands Prix, there is also simulator work. But I spend more than a month a year on marketing, for example. At a certain point, you don’t feel like doing that anymore.”
With Verstappen having a family with his girlfriend – Kelly Piquet – and her three-year-old daughter, the Dutchman has to try and balance family time with his job, and all the marketing gigs which come along with it.
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He tries to “combine” his family time with his job, something which is perhaps made easier by the fact that his girlfriend knows the world of F1 better than a lot of the paddock.
Piquet’s father is three-time World Champion Nelson Piquet, meaning she grew up surrounded by F1 and can therefore understand the demands which come with Verstappen’s job.
“My girlfriend understands the world I live in. That makes a difference. And when I’m at home, I try to combine it as well as I can,” Verstappen revealed.