Verstappen helped DTM driver immensely: 'After all, who can do it better than Max?'

30 May at 08:00

Estéban den Toom

Thierry Vermeulen will race with the DTM racing class at Zandvoort on 7, 8 and 9 June. The 21-year-old driver will drive a Ferrari 296 GT3 under the Emil Frey Racing team. Speaking to Verstappen.com, Vermeulen also talks about his bond with Max Verstappen. He highlighted the moment when the reigning world champion tested Vermeulen's car at Mugello, saying it was very important.

"We deal with each other honestly and openly, fairly directly. That's very important in motorsport. There is always an excuse to be found as a driver, but it is important to focus on the points that are not going so well yet. There are always those. You have to look at those to improve them and that is where Max and Jos help me tremendously," Vermeulen says of his bond with the Verstappens.

Vermeulen on Verstappen's help

Vermeulen can remember all too well the day Verstappen came to test his Ferrari. "I think it was one of the most important days of my whole season. We had a difficult start to the year: it didn't go as well as expected, the car didn't have a balance that I like," the 2020 GT4 Benelux champion told us.

Verstappen helped Vermeulen with his confidence in the Ferrari car, the DTM driver explained. "We had a test at Mugello together with Max and there we worked on my confidence and to help the team move in the right direction. After all, who can do that better than Max Verstappen?"

This article was written in collaboration with Ben Stevens