Max Verstappen says he understands the FIA’s decision to clamp down on the age and inexperience of future rookies in formula one.<\/p>\n
In just over a month, the Dutchman will smash the all-time record for the youngest ever race driver on the grid, when he hits the throttle in Melbourne at the controversial age of 17 years and 5 months.<\/p>\n
In reaction to Verstappen’s signing by Toro Rosso, the FIA has imposed for 2016 a raft of new ‘super licence’ rules that, firstly, will ban from F1 anyone under the age of 18.<\/p>\n
The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf quotes Verstappen as agreeing: “Someone who is 15 or 16 is not ready for formula one.\u00a0 He should be karting.<\/p>\n
“So I do understand what the FIA has done.\u00a0 But I’m glad I have a contract.”<\/p>\n
However, Verstappen insists that drivers in his situation should not necessarily be locked outside of the sport in the future.<\/p>\n
“Those with the talent should not be deprived of their chance in F1,” he said.<\/p>\n
“If these rules had been around before, some big names like Kimi Raikkonen could not have made their starts.<\/p>\n
“Some are more ready than others, which is also true for me,” Verstappen, whose father is the former F1 driver Jos, argued.<\/p>\n
“Since my childhood, formula one was the goal.\u00a0 It is what myself and my father were working towards during all those years in karting.\u00a0 I know of nothing else.”<\/p>\n
Notwithstanding his preparation, Verstappen admits that even he hesitated when the offer from Toro Rosso landed in his lap last summer.<\/p>\n
“You only really know if you are ready for formula one after you’ve actually driven a formula one car,” he said.<\/p>\n
“In that respect, I took a risk because I signed without having driven one metre in a F1 car.\u00a0 But because Toro Rosso promised to give me experience in the practice sessions, I had no argument to say no,” Verstappen added.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 RIF | GMM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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