Hilarious Max Verstappen Story: Crib Used as Bed During 2014 FP1 Weekend

Max Verstappen’s manager Raymond Vermeulen recalled a priceless anecdote from the Dutchman’s rookie year. With zero budget left for a São Paulo hotel, the three‑man party – Verstappen, his father Jos, and Vermeulen – squeezed into a single room at the Hotel Transamerica in 2014, using a baby crib as Max’s makeshift bed. The tale illustrates how the future champion once slept on a “stretcher” before his rise to the top of Formula 1.

Why it matters:

• Budget reality – Small‑team drivers often juggle tight finances; Verstappen’s early FP1 outings were funded on a shoestring, underscoring the financial chasm between newcomers and established stars.
• Character building – Sleeping on a crib and coping with a noisy night taught the 17‑year‑old the discipline and resilience that later defined his racing style.
• Humanising a champion – Stories like this remind fans that even world‑class drivers start from humble, sometimes absurd, circumstances.

The details:

• Three FP1 sessions – Verstappen earned three free‑practice starts for Toro Rosso in late 2014: Japan, the United States, and Brazil.
• No budget left – By the São Paulo round the team’s travel fund was exhausted, forcing the trio to share one hotel room.
• Crib as a bed – A baby crib was repurposed as a makeshift stretcher‑style sleeping platform for Max.
• Late‑night noise – Jos and Vermeulen went out for a local drink; their return was loud enough to wake Max.
• Max’s reaction – He asked his dad to keep the noise down because he had to drive the next day; Jos responded, “Don’t whine, everything will be fine.”
• Team camaraderie – The incident highlighted how the young driver, his father, and his manager depended on each other during a financially strained period.

The big picture:

• From scrappy start to champion – Verstappen’s 2015 full‑time debut for Toro Rosso followed this low‑budget episode, eventually leading to multiple world titles with Red Bull Racing.
• Budget constraints in F1 – The story exemplifies the stark contrast between rookie drivers in junior teams and the deep pockets of top manufacturers.
• Legacy of resilience – Early hardships like sharing a room and sleeping on a crib have become part of Verstappen’s narrative, reinforcing the work‑ethic fans see on the track today.