Max VERSTAPPEN Biography & Stats

Nationality:  Netherlands
Born the 30 september 1997 – Hasselt (Belgique) – 25 years
First Grand Prix: Australia 2015
Last Grand Prix: Britain 2023
Best Result: 1st
Best Grid Position: 1st

Early Life and Family

Max Emilian Verstappen was born on 30 September 1997 in Hasselt, Belgium to Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen, and has a younger sister, Victoria. His parents separated when he was young, after which he lived with his father while his sister Victoria lived with their mother. Verstappen has three younger half-siblings from his father; a sister, Blue Jaye, from his second marriage and a brother and sister, Jason Jaxx and Mila Faye, from his current marriage.

His family has a long association with motor sports: his father is a Dutch former Formula One driver who competed in over 100 Grands Prix between 1994 and 2003, his Belgian mother competed in karting, and his first cousin once removed, Anthony Kumpen, competed in endurance racing and is a two-time NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion currently serving as the team manager for PK Carsport in Euro Series. With racing in his blood, a young Max was drawn to karting from an early age.

Junior Career

Verstappen began karting at age 4, competing in the local Mini Junior championship in his hometown of Genk, Belgium. By 2005 at age 8, he was competing full-time, winning numerous races in the Belgian Minimax championship. Over the next several years, Verstappen progressed through the junior karting ranks, winning various Belgian, Dutch and international karting titles along the way.

In 2010, aged just 12, Verstappen joined the prestigious CRG factory kart team. Competing in the KF3 class, he finished runner-up at the CIK-FIA World Cup and won the WSK Euro Series against more experienced opposition. The following year he stepped up to the more powerful KF2 class, winning the WSK Master Series title.

2012 proved a breakthrough year, as Verstappen dominated the KF2 and KZ2 categories. He won the WSK Master Series KF2 title, the South Garda Winter Cup, and a slew of other races. By the end of the year, he had sealed the international KZ2 title, confirming his status as a world champion in the making.

In 2013, the 15-year-old Verstappen reached the pinnacle of karting. He won two European titles and the KZ World Championship, becoming the youngest driver in history to win the KZ world title. Having conquered the karting scene, the time was right to make the switch to single-seater racing.

Transition to Single-Seaters

Verstappen tested various Formula Renault 2.0 cars in late 2013, immediately posting lap times to match or beat series regulars. He made his car racing debut in January 2014 in the Florida Winter Series. Despite his rookie status, he took pole position and won two races to make an immediate impact.

His stellar debut accelerated his progression to a full season in cars. He joined the Van Amersfoort Racing team for the 2014 European Formula 3 Championship. Competing against more experienced drivers, the Dutch youngster set records and raised eye-rows from the very start.

At just 16 years old, Verstappen took an incredible six wins in a row early in the season – a new record for the series. He added four more victorious on the way to 10 wins, while also scoring eight retirements as he learned the ropes. His blistering speed and mature racecraft were evident as he finished third overall in the standings behind two of the series veterans.

Formula One Career

Toro Rosso (2015-2016)

Verstappen’s meteoric rise through the junior categories led him to Formula One in 2015, just a month after his 17th birthday. He joined Scuderia Toro Rosso and immediately set records as the youngest driver ever to take part in an F1 race weekend at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix practice.

For 2015 he was confirmed as a full-time driver alongside Carlos Sainz Jr, making his F1 debut at age 17. Despite his inexperience, Verstappen impressed from the off, scoring points on debut in Australia before earning a stellar P7 in Malaysia to become the youngest driver ever to score F1 points.

He added more points finishes as the season went on, getting quicker at every round and scoring a best finish of 4th place at the Hungaroring. His mature drives and wheel-to-wheel racing earned plaudits up and down the pitlane as he more than held his own against the veterans.

Red Bull (2016–present)

Verstappen’s capabilities were clear for all to see, and four races into 2016 he was promoted to the senior Red Bull team, replacing Daniil Kvyat. He proved the team’s faith right immediately, winning on debut in Spain aged just 18 to become the youngest winner in F1 history.

More podiums followed in 2016 as Verstappen took the F1 world by storm. He produced one of the drives of the season in Brazil, carving through from 16th to 3rd in treacherous wet conditions, showcasing his supreme car control and feel.

2017 proved more challenging as Verstappen suffered numerous retirements related to mechanical failures or first lap incidents. But the highlights included a dominant victory in Malaysia on his 20th birthday, and several stunning recovery drives through the field.

In 2018, Verstappen established himself as a title contender, winning two races and scoring 11 podiums on the way to fourth in the championship. His victories in Austria and Mexico were dominant lights-to-flag performances that cemented his status as F1’s most exciting rising star.

The 2019 season saw Verstappen take further steps forward, winning three races and taking his first two career pole positions. His victories in Austria, Germany and Brazil showcased his prodigious talent in wet or mixed conditions. He also produced numerous other podiums and blistering qualifying laps as he finished third overall behind the two Mercedes.

Although 2020 was largely dominated by Mercedes again, Verstappen took two opportunistic wins in Silverstone and Abu Dhabi. He maximised his chances to finish third in the championship for the third season running, establishing himself firmly as F1’s standout next generation superstar.

In 2021, Verstappen engaged in an epic season-long title duel with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes. He took 10 pole positions and 10 race wins, including brilliant victories at his home race in Zandvoort and the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where he clinched a dramatic and controversial maiden World Championship.

The 2022 season saw Verstappen cement his position at the pinnacle of Formula One. He dominated the new era of F1 cars, winning 15 of 22 races to ease to his second successive title. With experience and maturity now on his side, he has proved completely unstoppable.

Driving Style

Verstappen’s driving style is aggressive and attack-minded. He has tremendous car control and a natural instinct for finding grip and speed, allowing him to push to the absolute limit. His reactions and race craft are superb, enabling him to excel in wheel-to-wheel battles.

His innate sensitivity for car balance means he can extract performance at the limit others can only dream of. Blessed with prodigious natural talent, his feel for grip and adjusting the car to optimize lap time is unmatched.

While his aggression and daring moves have occasionally drawn criticism, Verstappen has matured and learned to temper it with race smarts. He still has a fierce racing spirit, but now allies it to precision and judgment to create an irresistible complete package.

Legacy and Reputation

Despite still being in his early 20s, Verstappen’s natural talent has already seen him labelled as a once-in-a-generation driver and one of the quickest Formula One has ever seen. His innate car control and speed leave fellow drivers shaking their heads in admiration.

His rise from karting prodigy to double F1 world champion has already been extraordinary. With a world title under his belt, Verstappen has proven he has the ability and mentality to dominate Formula One for years to come.

Having emerged as the standout star of his generation, the expectation and opportunity is there for him to go down as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. If he can maintain his sensational form, records will continue to tumble as Verstappen cements his status as an all-time great.

His aggressive driving style and win-at-all-costs attitude have drawn parallels to the great Ayrton Senna. While emulating Senna’s legendary status would be some feat, Verstappen undoubtedly has the talent to leave a lasting legacy on Formula One history just as his heroes did.

FAQ

Max VERSTAPPEN Stats

Wins

Max VERSTAPPEN had 43 wins in his career

Podiums

Max VERSTAPPEN had 88 podiums in his career

Pole positions

Max VERSTAPPEN had 27 pole positions in his F1 career

Grands Prix started

Max VERSTAPPEN has started 173 Grands Prix in his career

Teammates

Max VERSTAPPEN had 9 teammates in his career

Result by Grand Prix

Seasons

Max VERSTAPPEN has raced 10 seasons in his career

Retirement / DNF / Abandon

Max VERSTAPPEN had 31 retirements in his career