Verstappen admits father taking step back

Jos (L) will have to butt out of Max's business

(GMM) Max Verstappen has admitted his father Jos may need to take a step back now that he races for Red Bull's senior team.

Until now, as the teen sensation honed his craft at Toro Rosso, former F1 driver Jos was a permanent fixture in the garage.

But there was no sign of the former Benetton and Minardi driver on Friday as Max, 18, got his first taste of the Red Bull car in Spanish grand prix practice.

"I don't know where my father is, I didn't see him in the box," Max is quoted by Speed Week.

"He probably takes a little bit of a step back but that's fine."

Verstappen insisted, for instance, that making his debut for a top team on Friday did not even make him nervous.

"I even wasn't nervous last year, when I was the youngest driver in formula one history. Of course, this is another car, and everything is new, but I was not a bit nervous. I just wanted to get out and try my new car," said Max.

He said he spent his time on Friday getting used to the very different Red Bull.

"It is still too early to compare with the Toro Rosso because I am not yet on the limit," said Verstappen. "We'll see tomorrow."