“I didn’t even know who Max Verstappen was": Red Bull driver's former trainer Bradley Scanes makes rare admission about his familiarity with F1

Max Verstappen's former trainer Bradley Scanes recently revealed that before he started working with the Red Bull driver, he didn't even know who he was. Scanes said he didn't have much idea about the world of F1, and before he joined, he didn't know any of the big players except Lewis Hamilton.

In F1, fitness is paramount but in the current era, everything has taken a different meaning. The cars are far more physical because of which the physical demands have reached a different level. To add to this, the number of races continues to increase and with the 2024 F1 season to have an unprecedented 24 races, it's going to continue to be a challenge.

Bradley Scanes and Max Verstappen's association ended at the end of the 2023 F1 season and the trainer revealed that before he aligned with the Red Bull driver, he had no idea about the sport. In an appearance on the "Red Flag Podcast," he said:

“Before I started working with Max, I didn’t really know anything about motorsport and F1. I didn’t even know who Max Verstappen was. I googled a lot to read myself in, to keep track of everything. I knew Hamilton was successful, but that was about all."

He added:

“The first F1 race I watched was in the Red Bull garage with the mechanics! In December 2019, I met Max and in the second week of January, I started working with him. In the meantime, all of December, I watched and read everything about F1. Everything I could think of.”

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You have to be open, you have to be honest: Bradley Scanes on relationship with Max Verstappen

When asked to describe the kind of relationship he had with Max Verstappen, Scanes said it was all very easygoing and honest. He was part of the Verstappen clan and these are the things that defined them. Scanes said:

“Being easygoing, being honest and direct, being trustworthy and being loyal. That defines the Verstappens and the group around them. Everyone says the Dutch are very direct, but in top sports, you have to be open, you have to be honest with each other there. So I was already used to that.”

Verstappen had a successful stint with Bradley by his side as he won three titles with the trainer. However, the Red Bull driver has not hired the services of Carlos Sainz's former trainer from the 2024 F1 season onwards.