In his anniversary year, we closely followed Max Verstappen on his global journey across 24 stops. Eight editors and three columnists share their most notable, personal memories of him in 2024. This time, it’s the turn of reporter Gerard Bos, with a rebellious Max moment.
Who doesn’t remember the sight: the excessive penalty from the FIA stewards for Max Verstappen’s ‘f*cked’. It leads to a unique moment that I witness firsthand in Singapore. On Saturday, Max suddenly becomes very reserved in his responses during the FIA press conference. He’s willing to answer questions from the media, he says, but outside the FIA press room: a playful protest. And so, shortly after, we find ourselves with him in the hallway. When an FIA spokesperson rushes over to remind him that he must first go to the TV stations, he asks us reporters, “Shall we do this on the way? If you guys are okay with it?”
Of course, it’s fine; it even speaks to his character that he asks, and it shows what a laid-back guy he is. While my colleagues head to the paddock with him, I decide to quickly take photos of the chaos for our socials. Unfortunately, this puts me behind, time for a ‘Verstappen-style catch-up race’: from the back of the pack, I subtly slip past some colleagues on the outside to end up at the front. Right behind the main character of this extraordinary spectacle.
I just make it in time to catch his now extensive quotes. Photographers are there too, TV crews not yet. So, for a moment, the public is unaware of this spontaneous ‘Max conference’. He answers extensively in what turns out to be a hectic situation. Wonderful. Personally, I quite enjoy Max Verstappen’s action, he has a low tolerance for injustice (a good trait!) and is delightfully rebellious at such moments. Thankfully, because we already have enough conformists.
