Don't Give Up On Me
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Max Verstappen loved going to the races with his Papa, attending whatever F1 race he could go to when his Mama would allow. Whenever he went, he was able to see his beloved Uncle Michael, getting to sit in the man's car and babble about everything racing. But there's a new face on the grid, a stern "Iceman" who keeps running into the little Dutch boy at every turn. And in two different seasons, only separated by a year break, young Max and icy Kimi share moments that, although fading in memory years down the road, will never truly forget.
Series
- Part 1 of Don't Give Up On Me
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Growing up in the Verstappen household was a task in and of itself for little Max Emilian Verstappen. Despite the Schumacher family being close, especially Uncle Michael, there is still tension and unease that boils under the surface of the Dutch/Belgian quartet. When it all erupts, Max will walk out suffering the most, having to understand far too young how to hide the abuse from those who watch closely, even if it means pushing away the ones he loves.
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- Part 2 of Don't Give Up On Me
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Coming in second place was a death sentence for Max. He may as well not even bothered to race. And when his father loses his composure in front of the entire track, Max is left to wonder how much more it will take for anything to change and if he would even be able to accept a helping hand at the end of it all.
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- Part 3 of Don't Give Up On Me
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After accepting that he cannot afford to make friends in the world he lives, Max tries to navigate interactions with his fellow karters, faces that will follow him for many years to come. When trying to push them away and be cruel and unkind slowly begins to eat away at him, the choice of taking that offered hand is never one he can make with Jos' shadow constantly looming overhead. But how the boy just wishes to have one friend.
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- Part 4 of Don't Give Up On Me
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Max wasn't sure what to expect after being abandoned at a gas station by his father. Maybe screams, maybe punishments, maybe more intensive training. But Jos delivers none of that, instead handing him a week of utter silence. And somehow, that's far worse for Max than he could have ever imagined it to be. This is how that week went and the lasting impact it would have on shaping the young boy's life, for better or for worse.
Series
- Part 5 of Don't Give Up On Me
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During their years karting together, Max was watched by his fellow peers. Despite his best attempts at hiding the fury he suffered from at the hands of his father, familiar faces had noticed time and time again just what the Dutchman went through. Some wanted to help, some were blinded by their own feelings, and some were too afraid to speak. This is a collection of views from fellow karters, and future F1 companions, of one Max Emilian Verstappen.
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- Part 6 of Don't Give Up On Me
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Max was moving up in the world of racing, bringing him one step closer to his final goal. Before the news would break for the world to hear, Max needed to tell his rival himself first. After all, this was their shared dream.
Series
- Part 7 of Don't Give Up On Me
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The 2014 Japanese Grand Prix was a harrowing moment for the world, Max Verstappen included. The tragedy of this day would be the start of a domino effect of incidences where the young driver would realize just what grief and loss can do to those you love, and how letting things go unsaid only open the wounds more and more. Ten years later, Max would be given that chance to rectify what he had always wished to do.
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- Part 8 of Don't Give Up On Me
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Max Verstappen entered the F1 world too early in the eyes of many. A reckless, dangerous driver, the others are slow to welcome him, instead shunning and ignoring the warning signs that blatantly flash bright. Even the media casts a shadow over the brilliance that the young boy holds inside. As his early years continue on, the grid will learn the hard way just how much pressure Max is under, and will be pressed to try and salvage anything they can before it's too late.
Series
- Part 9 of Don't Give Up On Me
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This is an accompanying piece to "Achilles Come Down," a sort of outtakes if you will. Here you will see things from outside point of views that are not Max's and instead a collection of others on the grid. While we normally only see things from his view, now we can see how everyone else thinks and feels about Max and what they see as the 2015-2017 seasons happen.
Series
- Part 10 of Don't Give Up On Me
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*Sequel to Achilles Come Down *
Max Verstappen has made a name for himself in the F1 world after his first three years on the grid. For some it is in a shining light, for others it is in an aggressive and dangerous way. After his past has slowly come to light, those on the grid are now starting to see the cracks in this boy, and they will do whatever they can to prove that they care and are willing to help. But promises are hard to keep, and with Max's biggest threat looming in the background, it's going to take dedicated work from the others to show that tough love isn't the only way.
Series
- Part 11 of Don't Give Up On Me