Vermeulen is about to embark on his second season within the DTM with Emil Frey Racing after a rookie marketing campaign during which he completed sixteenth within the standings with a finest end of fifth on the Sachsenring.
The 21-year-old’s Ferrari 296 GT3 will as soon as once more carry the colors of Verstappen.com Racing, a challenge that was began by the triple F1 champion in 2022.
Having mentored the younger Dutchman through the years, Verstappen feels Vermeulen has what it takes to construct on his 2023 outcomes and put collectively a stable present within the DTM this yr.
“Hopefully with the expertise he has gained thus far, it would all come a bit extra naturally to him and due to this fact he can compete on the entrance a bit extra constantly, as a result of the potential is certainly there,” the 26-year-old instructed Autosport’s sister web site nl.motorsport.com.
“He’s very quick. Once we take a look at too, each time I drive him, he is inside two tenths of me on a regular basis.”
Vermeulen, son of Verstappen’s supervisor Raymond, is comparatively new into motor racing, having solely began his profession in 2020 with GT4 racing.
He mixed his DTM programme with a drive within the GT World Problem Europe sequence final yr, and can stay within the SRO championship once more as a part of one other twin marketing campaign.
Verstappen believes Vermeulen nonetheless lacks expertise in comparison with a few of his rivals, with the DTM once more that includes a grid comprising veteran racers corresponding to Kelvin van der Linde, Marco Wittmann and Lucas Auer.
“All these guys he races in opposition to 1714144396, I used to race in opposition to them [when I was in lower formulas],” Verstappen mentioned. “So that they have much more expertise than him.
“Thierry is clearly nonetheless studying. That simply takes some time and it’s a must to be affected person with that, however he is selecting it up shortly. He undoubtedly has expertise – and he is undoubtedly not afraid within the quick corners!”
Verstappen revealed he and Vermeulen stay in common contact, with the Emil Frey driver additionally supplying him along with his automobile knowledge to know his weaknesses and strengths.
“I speak to him loads,” mentioned the F1 championship chief. “He at all times sends me his knowledge and onboards. And when he’s testing, he retains me up to date throughout the day.
“We attempt to prepare issues on the simulator and I attempt to give suggestions after we can and when he wants them.”
In December final yr, Verstappen accomplished two days of operating in Emil Frey’s Ferrari GT3 automobile at Portimao, with one of many goals of the take a look at being to help the event of Vermeulen’s expertise.
Talking of the 296 GT3, which was launched by Ferrari final yr as a substitute to the long-running 488 GT3, the Pink Bull ace mentioned: “The automobile is nice. I examined it myself, with that Ferrari. That basically is a severely quick automobile.
“However you additionally depend upon the BoP [Balance of Performance]. That might be in opposition to him one time and that might be in his favour one time. If issues are good by way of BoP, it’s a must to make one of the best of it, in fact.”