Max Verstappen dismissed the possibility of participating in a Rally test after receiving an invitation from Sebastien Ogier. The four-time Formula 1 champion stated that he considers the discipline too risky, mainly due to the danger of direct impacts against natural obstacles during the races.
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The invitation came from Ogier himself, nine-time WRC champion, after both participated in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. Verstappen competed for the first time in the traditional German endurance race and even led the race with three hours remaining, before retiring due to a transmission axle failure.
After the race, Ogier praised the performance of the Red Bull Racing driver and suggested, in a lighthearted tone on social media, a future experience in Rally: “Congratulations to Maro Engel for the victory and to Max for showing once again that he is an incredible driver in any car. What’s next, Max Verstappen? Maybe Rally like your father?” wrote the Frenchman.
Later, the multiple WRC champion revealed that the invitation was genuine. According to Ogier, Verstappen had already had contact with one of his cars before, but only on a circuit, without experiencing a real Rally stage: “I told him he should test on a real Rally stage, because a circuit is not the ideal place for this type of car,” he told Motorsport.com.
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Ogier believes Verstappen could be interested in the discipline in the future: “I’m sure someone like him could end up liking it at some point. My message was sincere. If he wants to do a test, I’ll be happy to welcome him,” added the Frenchman.
Despite the invitation, Verstappen indicated that he does not intend to venture into Rally. In an interview with the Up to Speed podcast, the driver explained that the main reason is the level of risk involved in the special stages held on narrow roads surrounded by trees.
“I think it’s very cool, but I think that if I make a mistake and hit a tree, the tree won’t move. That’s my limit. In Formula 1, most of the time there is a barrier designed to absorb part of the impact. It’s different in my mind, and it’s a risk I’m not willing to take,” Verstappen added, who also praised the WRC drivers and highlighted the difficulty of the Monte Carlo Rally.
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