Verstappen taught how to drift by ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddett amid F1 summer break

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen got a taste for a new discipline as he learnt how to drift cars with the help of professional drift driver ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddett. 

It’s not unheard of that Verstappen is wanting to taste different disciplines, after his Formula 1 career, following reports about his future in the sport and a desire to do something else in the realm. 

On this desire, the F1 World Champion opted to fulfill a lifelong ambition to learn how to drift a car. 

Accompanied by Whiddett in Milton Keynes, England, the reigning F1 champion battled his own nerves to face the on-track challenge where he drifted around obstacles set in his way.

The professional drift driver, Whiddett, is no stranger to difficult locations to drift a car around like the United Kingdom’s infamous ‘Magic Roundabout,’ in Swindon, which involves a series of mini-roundabouts and junctions set around a primary roundabout. 

On the experience, Verstappen said:

“Learning to drift was very crazy; I didn’t know what to expect. I think it was the most nervous I’ve been in the past two years because it’s not natural to how I normally drive.

 “It felt like I was 16 again and jumping into an F1 car for the first time! As soon as the engine started and I began drifting with the wheels spinning, I got into my natural zone where I was finding the limits of the car, as I do in F1 – I felt that same adrenaline rush, and my instinct took over.” 

The vehicle of choice, provided to Verstappen, was the MADBUL drift car which is a heavily modified FD3S Mazda RX-7 with 600HP ready to be unleashed under Verstappen’s right-foot. The car was built in such a way to let it slide across the asphalt with grace – a significant contrast to Verstappen’s usual driving style.

In the challenge, the Dutchman faced a series of challenges out on the track which consisted of; donuts, figure-eight manoeuvers and scandi-flicks. 

On the final test, the F1 world champion was forced to utilise his new skill-set and combine it with his F1 accuracy to slide precisely into the hands of his team principal Christian Horner, in cardboard form. 

Evaluating Verstappen’s ability to drift, watching from the sidelines after he taught him the tricks of the trade, Whiddett said:

“We really pushed the limits with Max, and I hope he learnt some awesome tricks he can take to the F1 track – drifting is as raw as it gets! I’d love to try out these challenges in an F1 car and see what’s possible in Max’s seat next time.”

F1 is currently amid its annual summer break and, two-time world champion, Verstappen is currently on a eight-race winning streak. 

In the F1 history books, this is one race away from matching Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine set in 2013 when the four-time F1 champion raced for Red Bull too. As such, the Dutchman is sat at the top of the F1 drivers standings with 314 points to his name.

The pinnacle of single seater motorsport is set to return to the track, after the summer break, at the Dutch Grand Prix – Verstappen’s home race – which is set to get underway on August 25-27.

That’s all for the article: Verstappen taught how to drift by ‘Mad’ Mike Whiddett amid F1 summer break!

Read more Formula 1 here:

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.