Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Watch 'Mad' Mike Whiddett school Max Verstappen in the art of drifting
Discover what happened when Formula One’s reigning champion got a lesson from the king of sideways, Mad Mike Whiddett.
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Max Verstappen is a back-to-back Formula One World Champion.
But just because he’s excellent going forwards, doesn’t automatically mean he’s excellent going sideways.
I have never drifted in my life
Recently, at a secret location not far from Silverstone, Max got some top-tier coaching courtesy of the legendary Mad Mike Whiddett.
As you can see in the video above, Mike was riding shotgun to dish out advice and, ultimately, to entrust the Flying Dutchman with his pride and joy, his 600hp, 1992 Mazda RX-7, known as MADBUL.
Here’s what happened when the world’s best racing driver met the king of drift.
01
A driving lesson like no other
Mike shows Max around the MADBUL
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
The MADBUL in action
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
On the slide
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
As you might expect, Max already has a grasp of the basic drifting principles, but this is his first-ever outing in a proper drift car.
“Here and there I drift a bit in my F1 car,” he says, “not like what we’re going to do today, but let’s see if any skills I’ve learned over the years can help me.
“I’ve driven GT cars, I’ve driven rally cars, but not a drift car yet.”
And MADBUL is not just any drift car – it’s the most-travelled drift car on the planet, and this is the first time Mike has trusted anyone other than himself behind the wheel. No pressure, Max.
Mad Mike Whiddett drifts round Max Verstappen
© Patrik Lundin/Red Bull Content Pool
This car made me who I am
First-off, Mike gets Max handling some donuts, then some figure 8s, and finally a Scandi Flick.
The learning curve is steep, but – after an initial false-start with the throttle – Max quickly gets to grips with the cornering techniques to rip round the circuit in a haze of smoking tyres.
And skills aren’t the only thing he picks up along the way (condolences to the owners of the traffic cone involved).
02
The Horner Corner
Mike puts the finishing touches to Horner corner
© Patrik Lundin/Red Bull Content Pool
Mike shows Max the perfect line
© Patrik Lundin/Red Bull Content Pool
The Principle objective
© Patrik Lundin/Red Bull Content Pool
Spoiler alert: Max gets a big hand for his efforts
© Patrik Lundin/Red Bull Content Pool
For the final challenge, Mike sets up a 100-metre arc consisting of ten cardboard cut-outs of Red Bull Racing Team Principle, Christian Horner.
To congratulate Max on a successful day of lessons, the Christians want to give him a big hand – literally.
Each cut-out has a gigantic right hand which Max has to clip with the rear-end of the MADBUL.
How does it go? Well, you’ll have to watch the video to find out!
“I had a great advisor,” says Max about his teacher. “It’s nice to have a voice next to you which is quite calm, and quite energetic at the same time.
“He was really coaching me through it and telling me what to do.
“I definitely picked up a bit and now I want to do more!”
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