Victor Martins seems with admiration on the means Max Verstappen combines Formulation 1 with endurance racing. The Frenchman, who competes within the World Endurance Championship himself and was current in Canada as Williams’ reserve driver, argues it serves primarily for instance for younger drivers in an unique interview with GPblog.
In 2026, Martins is combining a number of applications in motorsport. Along with his position inside the Williams Driver Academy, the Frenchman is racing this season for Alpine within the World Endurance Championship, the place he’s energetic with the model’s Hypercar. On the identical time, through the whereas Luke Browning had commitments in Japan. Martins will even fill that position through the subsequent two weekends in Monaco and Barcelona.
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Williams reserve Martins praises Verstappen in endurance
In Montreal, Martins additionally talks about Verstappen and his foray into endurance racing, together with the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring. In response to the Frenchman, Verstappen reveals how broad motorsport can actually be. “I feel you see the fervour he has for motorsport,” he says about Verstappen. “He simply desires to be all over the place. A bit like I’ve mentioned earlier than: he desires to race in all classes, with all types of various automobiles.”
The Frenchman partly recognises that very same ardour inside himself. This season, Martins will not be solely performing completely different roles for Williams, however he’s additionally engaged on his first full season within the World Endurance Championship (WEC). In response to him, it finally comes all the way down to the enjoyment of driving itself, one thing Verstappen is presently experiencing prominently in GT3 racing.
Martins partly sees himself in Verstappen
Martins continues, demonstrating an analogous perspective to racing as four-time world champion Verstappen. “Once I take it on myself, all over the place I am going, each completely different automotive I drive: I simply take pleasure in it and have an enormous smile.”
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For that purpose, he’s additionally open to different main endurance races sooner or later. “So no matter I can drive, I’ll go for it. If I get the possibility to do the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring or the 24 Hours of Daytona, for instance, I’d undoubtedly do it.” That certainly echoes feedback Verstappen has made: if the calendar allowed it, he would have already got taken half in a number of endurance races.
In response to Martins, Verstappen’s Nürburgring look additionally confirmed one thing necessary to the remainder of the paddock. “I actually prefer to see a F1 driver open doorways and present that you may carry out in one other automotive,” he says. “You possibly can have many objectives and desires in motorsport and you do not solely near F1, you open a bit the world of motorsport.”
In doing so, Verstappen additionally helps the brand new technology of drivers, Martins believes. “I feel that’s good for younger drivers, for rookies, for everybody, and for the game usually,” he concluded.
Picture: Racepictures
Picture: Racepictures
