Dani Juncadella on COPE GP(1)
(Tell me, Dani, what is it like when Max Verstappen looks at you and says, "Hey, why don't you do the start at the Nürburgring?")
Well, on one hand, it's an honor. When a driver of that caliber has the confidence to tell you, "Hey, you take the lead at the start, and in Q3 too, during the most critical moments of the weekend," it makes you feel great and highly motivated. But that’s just a skill Max has—he passes that leadership energy on to the people around him. I think that pretty much sums it up in general. On the other hand, you know, I have a lot of experience in this race; I’ve spent many years competing at this level, so I was really excited for it too.
(Is he the best driver you have ever competed alongside as a teammate?)
Yes, without a doubt. He is the most impressive guy I have ever shared a garage with. I’ve learned so much from sharing all of this with him. Obviously, I have immense admiration for him. I already did before, but now even more so. I believe there are only two drivers in the world right now who are that special. Max is one, and you already know who the other is. Fernando Alonso, in my opinion—at least from what I see from the outside.
This time I had the chance to teammate with Max, but it honestly made me think back to the Daytona 24 Hours. The first one Fernando did—not the one he won, but the year before with Zak Brown's team and Lando Norris as his teammate. We were both running in LMP2, and it was a weekend where we had absolutely no pace compared to the Daytona Prototypes that were dominating. I vividly remember doing a night stint right behind Fernando, just following him. I basically spent an hour doing nothing but trailing his car. He was slicing through traffic for me, and it was mind-blowing to see the risks he took, how sensitive he was to knowing exactly where to push, and how perfectly he judged the exact moment to pull off an overtake on slower cars.
Those are the things that set these drivers apart. Because on a single lap, we can all do it. There are plenty of drivers in the world with the level to lay down a fast lap matching the very best. But that ability to manage traffic, that innate feel they have... in my case, Max is the best I've ever seen up close, and I am certain Fernando is very much the same.
(It would be amazing, wouldn't it? A Hypercar team with the three of you at Le Mans.)
Yeah, yeah, man, I definitely wouldn't say no to that! Look, I've already earned the trust of one of them; now I just need Fernando's.
(Fernando's insane night stint at the Daytona 24H)
That’s exactly what makes them special—knowing how to make a defining difference in moments like that. It's the same with Max when he takes over the car in tenth place after the first stint. Because of the different race strategies, we dropped down to tenth during the pit stop, and from there, within two hours, he gets into first place. And it’s a constant theme with him—watching him take risks in traffic. We were saying it before the 24-hour race: "Wow, he takes a lot of risks. In a 24-hour race, you have to be more careful." But the thing is, he doesn't know how to drive any other way. The incredible part is that he has the feel to take that extra risk without crashing. I kept thinking, "Man, if he keeps this up, we're going to crash," but he never does.
So, in the end, there are things you just have to accept, and I am very honest with myself. I know I am a great driver, but I am not Max Verstappen and I never will be, and that’s fine.
It’s like if you’re talking about Leo Messi, you know? Ultimately, you just grab a notepad, a pen, start taking notes, and learn. And that is the way you have to approach an opportunity like this, which for me is unique—being able to share something like that. I'm telling you, it has made me a better driver.
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