Back when Helmut Marko was trying to convince Jos Verstappen to let a teenage Max Verstappen join the Red Bull family, the negotiations were quick and intense. Marko literally sat down at their table at Hockenheim with a famous line, telling Jos he had just twenty minutes to chat. But Jos wasn't about to let this opportunity slip away without getting exactly what he wanted for his son's career.

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Jos had one non-negotiable demand when discussing Max Verstappen's first Formula 1 contract with Red Bull's motorsport advisor. He wanted a two-year deal instead of the standard one-year option. The logic was straightforward and smart, really. Max was incredibly young, and Jos figured his son needed that first season to settle into the chaos of Formula 1, then could truly shine in year two once he'd adapted to everything the sport throws at you.

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The gamble paid off in spectacular fashion. Max Verstappen absolutely destroyed expectations in 2015 at Toro Rosso, adapting so well that Red Bull couldn't wait to promote him to the senior team after just twelve months. Jos's instinct to secure that extra year turned out to be unnecessary in the end, but it showed real foresight. His son was so talented that he shot straight to the top anyway, eventually becoming Red Bull's greatest driver ever.

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For Helmut Marko, accepting a two-year contract was a bit of a risk since it tied up resources in their driver program. But looking back over the past decade plus, Red Bull's faith in the Verstappen package absolutely delivered. Even though Max is facing tough times right now as Red Bull struggles, he's proven time and again why that early contract negotiation was worth every bit of effort Jos put in.

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