Pay for ride? No way, says Verstappen

DUTCH prodigy Max Verstappen has made it clear that he is completely against paying for a seat in a Formula One team.

Verstappen said he would never race if he was asked to pay for it, and stressed the need for young, aspiring drivers to purely focus on their on-track results rather than worry about securing massive sponsorship deals to compete in F1.

The Red Bull Racing driver was responding to questions on how Malaysia could see one of its drivers making the step up to F1, which is the pinnacle of the sport.

“You just need the results in the lower categories and try not to bring money, that was always my aim (as he was coming up the ranks),” said Verstappen, in an interview organised by Red Bull Racing official supplier Hisense.

“No, no, I would never race (if he had to pay). It is a tough world but at the end of the day if you are fast enough you will get the chance.”

A number of Malaysian drivers have been offered seats in F1 teams in recent years though none have gone through due to the funds required, which is believed to run upwards of RM60 million ringgit.

Alex Yoong, who raced with Minardi in 2001-2002, remains the only Malaysian to have driven in F1.

Verstappen, who turns 20 today, admitted that there are more opportunities for drivers in Europe but believes outstanding talent will be noticed anywhere in the world.

“In Europe there are more possibilities to make it to F1 but at the end of the day, drivers are coming from all over the world.

“You need the right advice and the right people around to guide and prepare you in the right way, then there should be a possibility.”

Verstappen, who became a full season driver with Toro Rosso in 2015, is the youngest driver to start a race in F1 history, doing so at the age of 17 years and 166 days at the 2015 Australian GP.

He went on to become the youngest driver to win an F1 race, when he won the Spanish Grand Prix last year on his debut for Red Bull.