Max Verstappen has reportedly been blocked from hiring a Mercedes AMG GT with speeds of up to 195mph while on holiday – despite racing at well over 200mph in his Red Bull F1 car. The 26-year-old is the king of speed and one of the most trustworthy pair of hands behind a wheel.
But while enjoying some downtime with his friends in the Algarve, Portugal, he was blocked from driving a Mercedes because it would have breached an insurance policy. The Sun claim that Verstappen and his pals rented around 20 cars from Sixt at Faro Airport and were planning to drive them around the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve racing circuit.
However, Sixt have an insurance police that prevents under 30s from driving their powerful AMG GT motor. A source said: “Max and the group went to Portugal for a fun racing trip and had booked the cars they wanted.
“When they got to the airport, Max was shocked when he was told he wasn’t allowed to drive the Mercedes he wanted. He’s a seasoned F1 driver who’s used to handling powerful cars, so it’s quite astonishing to think he wasn’t allowed to get behind the wheel of this one — but those are the rules, so he abided by them.”
A Sixt spokesman added: “The employees of our franchise partner in Portugal have only followed the rules that arise for insurance reasons. In order to find a customer-friendly solution on site, Mr Verstappen was provided with another premium vehicle.
“However, there can be special circumstances that justify a deviation from rules. This is such a case. We apologise to Mr Verstappen. He can rent the car he wants from us at any time. There is of course no doubt at all about his driving skills and his experience with powerful cars.”
Verstappen’s Red Bull can reach top speeds of up to 213mph, which helped him claim a second world title in dominating fashion this year. But the Dutchman has been warned that his life won’t be as easy in 2024.
“You should not underestimate Lewis,” ex-F1 driver Christian Klien said. “He is a top-class driver. He hasn’t lost any of his qualities. A bit like Fernando Alonso – give him the right car and he’ll show what he’s able to do. If he has the right car and finds extra motivation, then he can definitely be one who gives Max a run for his money.”
