With time heavily on his side, Dutch teenager Max Verstappen could end his career as the most decorated Formula One driver of all-time. But his other focus right now is blitzing the career mode on PlayStation game FIFA 17.
"I like to play the ultimate team option so you can buy players and select your own side," Verstappen enthuses with all the gusto of an ordinary computer-loving 19-year-old, and not one of sport's brightest young stars.
"They update the carts every week with new players so you try to buy them and you get coins for winning matches.
"I don't play the racing games. I play people all over the world at FIFA and they would not know it is me because my name is completely different online."
Only the constant clicking of cameras reminds us that we are speaking to Verstappen inside the A-list Formula One paddock and not over a cheap pint down at the student union. Indeed while most 17-year-olds are busy preparing for university, Verstappen was already making waves in Formula One.
He controversially made his debut in 2015 - some said he was too young - but a year later he became the sport's youngest ever winner. He also holds records for the youngest driver to score points, finish on the podium and set a fastest lap. Sebastian Vettel won the first of his four titles aged only 23. With Verstappen still six months away from his twenties, it will be another record that the Red Bull driver has in his sights.
"If I have the car I can challenge for the title," Verstappen says. But will it be this year? "I don't know yet. I try to play everything down and we will see what happens during the season.
"I don't think we are the strongest team, but I am pretty confident we can develop the car over the year. I don't set any expectations. I just jump in the car, enjoy myself and then we will see."
It is a mantra which has suited Verstappen, who finished sixth in practice for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, well. He has swiftly become the most talked about driver since Lewis Hamilton, ruffling the established order with his thrill-a-minute driving (his performance in the wet in Brazil last year was one for the ages) and pushing the letter of the law like no other driver in recent history.
So much so, that a perturbed Vettel led calls for the governing body to clamp down on what he deemed as dangerous driving by the Dutchman and the so-called Verstappen law - which forebode drivers from moving under braking - was introduced last year. It has since been abolished for the new campaign which kicks off in Melbourne on Sunday.
In Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull boast one of the punchiest driver line-ups on the grid, too. But the pair revel in one another's company. Earlier this week they joked about sharing bedrooms at race weekends and on Thursday they strode together along the paddock to pose for their pre-season portraits. The only team-mates to do so.
"We are pretty open and we understand each other," Verstappen added. "We try to win on track, but off track Daniel is very open, and happy and that is always nice."
Hamilton and Nico Rosberg enjoyed an familiarly amicable relationship which stretched back to their karting days as teenagers, only for their rivalry to turn sour as they fought for the title. Could the same happen at Red Bull?
"I don't think it will be like that as long as you respect each other," said Verstappen. "It is pretty clear. If he beats you on track you need to work harder to beat him. That is racing isn't it?"
Source: PA
