Red Bull mechanic tells the truth about Max Verstappen's 'misinterpreted' image in F1

Max Verstappen's lead mechanic at Red Bull has debunked myths about the four-time F1 champion being a "demanding and angry" person. Over the years, many F1 fans have perceived the Dutchman as a divisive figure who sometimes crosses the line on the racetrack and off it.

When Red Bull's F1 dominance slowly started perishing in 2024, there were incidents where Verstappen lashed out at his team for giving him an unsatisfactory car to work with. The 27-year-old has also had verbal battles with rivals like Esteban Ocon and George Russell.

However, Max Verstappen's lead mechanic, Matt Caller, has highlighted how the Dutchman is highly misinterpreted in the F1 world. In a recent appearance on the BBC's Inside Track podcast, Caller touched upon the Red Bull driver's warm personality, saying [25:05 onwards]:

"He's got a hell of a sense of humor. I think a lot of people said it... but he's so misinterpreted across social media and F1's audience. I think there is this perception of him that (he's) sort of demanding and angry, but he couldn't be any further from that. He's the most laid-back, friendly, funny, you know, sort of personal guy."

Caller, who has been with Red Bull for over 10 years, also spoke about their professional relationship and the expectations that Verstappen has from his team and vice versa.

"He knows what he wants to do - he wants to win, and so do we. So there's a sort of mutual respect there. Like, we're going to work really bloody hard to give you the race car that you want, and you're going to go out there and get us race wins. Outside of that, you can chat about anything. He's genuinely incredibly funny, witty, smart, switched on. So, yeah, he's a nice guy to work with," the Red Bull mechanic added.

This year, in the face of an uphill battle for Red Bull against McLaren, Max Verstappen made peace with the fact that he most probably wouldn't win a fifth consecutive F1 title. He appeared to have become a more level-headed individual ready to steer the Milton Keynes outfit's comeback.

Gabriel Bortoleto rids Max Verstappen of the 'villain' image

Max Verstappen with Gabriel Bortoleto at the F1 Dutch Grand Prix - Source: Getty

F1 rookie Gabriel Bortoleto recently shared a sweet message for Max Verstappen and explained why the four-time champion doesn't deserve the tag of being a 'villain'. The Sauber driver highlighted how the Dutchman's straightforward answers in the media could be a potential reason for his getting misinterpreted.

On F1's Beyond the Grid podcast, Bortoleto said:

"He's very straightforward. There's nothing fake about him at all. The way he acts on camera is the same way he acts off camera. Maybe some people don't see his good sides. It's also possible that people see him as a villain because he's so direct. But he's not. He has a good heart and likes to help people, he helps me too. He's just a guy showing who he is."

Bortoleto and Verstappen share a close bond, with the duo engaging in sim racing together, and the Red Bull driver serving as a mentor to the young Brazilian, who has been the best rookie performer in the 2025 F1 season so far.