PSV midfielder Joey Veerman has opened up about his passion for Formula 1, revealing his admiration for Max Verstappen while taking aim at newly-crowned world champion Lando Norris. The Dutch footballer, who plays under Peter Bosz at PSV Eindhoven, believes the four-time world champion operates on a different level to his rivals and suggested the McLaren driver benefited significantly from superior machinery in 2024. Veerman’s comments offer a rare glimpse into how professional athletes from other sports view the ongoing debates surrounding driver talent versus car performance in the pinnacle of motorsport.
From Zandvoort sceptic to passionate viewer
Veerman’s journey as a Formula 1 fan began tentatively. His first exposure to the sport came during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, an experience that initially left him cold. The midfielder admitted he found little to engage with during that first viewing, but his perspective shifted dramatically as he continued to watch subsequent races throughout the season.
Unlike his PSV coach Peter Bosz, who rarely misses a Grand Prix and studies the sport closely, Veerman approaches Formula 1 from a more casual perspective. He watches primarily for entertainment rather than deep technical analysis, acknowledging that much of the specialist terminology and strategic nuances pass him by. The footballer understands the basics of DRS activation within one second of a car ahead and has a general grasp of tyre strategy fundamentals, but stops short of calling himself an expert on the technical intricacies that define modern racing.
Verstappen’s brilliance separates him from teammates
What captured Veerman’s attention most forcefully was Verstappen’s wheel-to-wheel racing and his ability to extract performance that teammates simply cannot match. The PSV player pointed to the stark contrast between the Red Bull number one and his colleagues within the same machinery as evidence of exceptional talent. Whether comparing Verstappen to Sergio Pérez or Yuki Tsunoda—though Tsunoda drives for the junior RB team rather than Red Bull Racing itself—Veerman sees a performance gap that defies explanation through equipment alone.
This observation has sparked debates within the PSV dressing room, where Veerman argues that Verstappen’s commitment to pushing the absolute limit sets him apart from the entire grid. The four-time world champion’s willingness to consistently drive on the edge, qualifying the car at the front regardless of its competitive window, forms the core of Veerman’s argument for his superiority. The midfielder believes this aggression and precision under pressure represents a quality that separates truly elite drivers from merely very good ones.
McLaren’s machinery advantage under scrutiny
Veerman’s assessment of Norris’s 2024 championship carries a pointed critique. The footballer suggested the British driver’s title success owed more to McLaren’s car development than pure driving excellence. According to Veerman, Norris found himself in the fortunate position of piloting the fastest car on the grid during the crucial latter stages of the season, a mechanical advantage without which the championship would have remained out of reach.
The PSV midfielder also noted what he perceives as a difference in mentality between Verstappen and Norris. While the Red Bull driver embraces aggressive racing and tight defensive manoeuvres, Veerman characterised Norris as frequently complaining about dangerous driving when subjected to robust wheel-to-wheel combat. This contrast in approach, combined with strategic assistance from McLaren—including team orders that prioritised Norris over Oscar Piastri in certain races—shaped Veerman’s view that the championship outcome reflected circumstances as much as skill.
Piastri’s inconsistent form in the closing races provided another element in Veerman’s analysis. The Australian’s struggles allowed Norris to maximise points without facing sustained internal competition, a luxury that proved decisive in accumulating the points necessary for the title.
The driver versus car debate continues
Veerman’s comments reflect a broader conversation that has dominated Formula 1 discourse throughout the season. The balance between driver talent and machinery performance remains one of motorsport’s most contentious topics, particularly when championship battles involve cars with varying competitive windows across different circuits and conditions.
The footballer’s perspective aligns with those who believe Verstappen would have secured a fifth consecutive title had Red Bull maintained the dominant form displayed in previous seasons. The RB20’s struggles with balance and aerodynamic efficiency, particularly on street circuits and high-downforce configurations, prevented the Dutchman from consistently fighting at the front during the second half of 2024.
What makes Veerman’s assessment notable is its source—a professional athlete from outside motorsport offering an unfiltered view shaped purely by what he observes as a viewer. His focus on overtaking brilliance and the willingness to operate at the absolute limit reflects what casual fans often prioritise when evaluating driver quality, rather than the qualifying micro-sectors and telemetry data that dominate expert analysis.
How this shapes perception beyond the paddock
The visibility Formula 1 enjoys among athletes from other disciplines demonstrates the sport’s growing cultural reach. When footballers at elite European clubs discuss championship battles and driving styles in their dressing rooms, it signals that Formula 1 has transcended its traditional audience to become mainstream sporting conversation.
Veerman’s willingness to publicly question whether Norris deserved his championship on merit alone will resonate with those who felt the McLaren driver’s inconsistency—particularly in the opening laps of races where he frequently lost positions—undermined his credentials. Yet it also highlights how success in Formula 1 inevitably faces scrutiny when the fastest car changes hands mid-season, creating narratives about timing and opportunity that can overshadow genuine achievement.
As the 2025 season approaches with significant driver movements and technical regulation stability promising closer competition, debates about who truly deserves credit for success will only intensify. For now, Veerman remains convinced that Verstappen operates in a category of his own, a view shared by many but increasingly challenged as emerging talents find themselves in machinery capable of consistent victories.
