Max Verstappen helps Dutch go for GOLD at 2026 Winter Olympics

Max Verstappen's F1 winning mentality has inspired the approach of one Dutch team ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

The 2026 Winter Olympics begins on Friday, February 6 and lasts until Sunday, February 22, as the event returns to Europe for the first time in eight years, split across Lombardy and Northeast Italy.

Amongst the Curling, Alpine Skiing and Luge, the Winter Olympics also features Speed Skating, with the Netherlands topping the all-time medal table since the sport was first contested in 1924, with 48 gold medals

At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Dutch skaters claimed the most medals, with six golds, four silver and and two bronze, dominated by Irene Schouten who won the 3,000m, 5,000m, and mass start events.

Speed Skating coach Jac Orie is renowned as one of the most successful in the Netherlands, delivering a Dutch Olympic champion every Winter Olympics since 2002.

His efforts has resulted in him being awarded 'Sports Coach of the Year' three times, and was also appointed Knight of the Order of Oranje-Nassau, the Dutch equivalent of our New Year Honours list.

So, why am I singing the praises of the Dutch Speed Skating community like an orange canary?

The answer lies in a recent interview Orie delivered to Formule1.nl, where he discussed Formula 1 and how his coaching is inspired by the mentality of four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

Verstappen inspires Olympic speed skaters

When asked what appeals most to him about the world of F1, Orie named the 'principle of measuring' and drivers like Verstappen.

"What I find really impressive is that there are drivers like Max Verstappen who have a perfect feel for everything and can communicate that to the crew so they can adjust the car and the settings. I find that interaction between man and machine fascinating," he explained.

Mental resilience is key for any athlete, and Orie particularly praised Verstappen's ability to perform under pressure, revealing he uses the champion as an example to his own athletes.

"If you don't dare to lose, winning becomes very difficult. Max is willing to take risks. If you do that often enough, from a young age, and also accept the occasional mishap, then that learning curve is much steeper," he continued.

"He's learned a lot because he's not afraid to show his true colours. And with that approach, he impresses others as well, so it works twofold. He simply draws that to himself. In skating, I saw that in someone like Sven Kramer. That's difficult for the opponent; they shrink a bit, especially if they're on the other end of the spectrum.

"I've sometimes used Max as an example to my own athletes because I'm very charmed by his black and white approach, his uncompromising nature."

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