Raymond Vermeulen is considered the architect of Max Verstappen’s commercial success. The manager of the four-time world champion talks in an extensive interview with FORMULA 1 Magazine about building the global brand Max Verstappen and the lessons he has learned along the way. “I had to run very hard to keep up commercially with Max’s sporting success.”
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The full interview with Raymond Vermeulen about the creation of Max Verstappen as a global brand can be read in FORMULA 1 Magazine. Below is an excerpt from the story.
– Max has developed at F1 speed, as a driver and as a person. But you have actually gone through a similar development.
“I had to run very hard to keep up commercially with Max’s sporting success. Because Max was so far ahead of his time. Everything went so fast and the impact was so great, unprecedented. That also brought a great responsibility with it and I felt that too. Of course, it was very easy to make wrong decisions.”
– You have undoubtedly made wrong decisions at times. Did those ever come between you?
“No, we make the right and wrong decisions together. There has never been a harsh word between the three of us – Max, Jos, and myself – I also think I have earned enough credits for that in thirty years of commitment to the Verstappen family. And, honestly, I also believe we have made very few mistakes. But coming back to your question, our collaboration could never have worked if we had been characterologically different. We understand each other blindly, that helps enormously.”
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“For example, we have a group chat, the three musketeers. We throw everything in there. From serious matters to laughing, roaring, and funny videos. And if there really is something, we call each other or I walk to Max’s apartment. But that happens sporadically. We have organic trust in each other.”
– When you met Jos, in his father’s pub in Montfort, you were still in the insurance world.
“Indeed. Sometimes things happen as they do. You meet people in your life and you choose, often on gut feeling. That was the case for me. I wanted to take on this adventure, quit my job, and here we are.”
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