Max Verstappen, F1 Driver racing under the Dutch Flag

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Max Verstappen is one of this generation’s most popular and accomplished Formula One drivers. Verstappen also carries the Dutch flag in Formula One, despite his Belgian-Dutch ancestry.

Coming from racing family background, Max has competed in numerous races since childhood. 

Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen (Source: Instagram)

Many believe his driving style to be aggressive, but that’s far from the truth. Upon closer inspection, Max’s driving comes out as refined.

To vouch for it, he has won 15 races in his career, has 50 podium finishes, and has a total of 1349 points.

Max Verstappen: Quick Facts 

Full Name Max Emilian Verstappen
Nickname Mad Max
Birth Date September 30, 1997
Birth Place Hasselt, Belgium
Residence Belgium
Nationality Belgian-Dutch
Religion Catholic
Ethnicity White
Hobbies Playing video games & watching movies
Food Habit Non-vegetarian
Zodiac Sign Libra
Father’s Name Jos Verstappen
Mother’s Name Sophie Kumpen
Siblings Sister Victoria
Age 26 Years Old
Height 181 cm/5’11”
Weight 72 kg/159 lbs
Hair Color Light Brown
Body type Fit
Profession Formula One Racer
Associated Teams Red Bull
Marital Status Unmarried
Girlfriend’s Name Kelly Piquet
Active Years 2014-Present (Formula One only)
Children None
Net Worth $60 million 
Social Media Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Merch Caps, Hoodie
Last Update March, 2024

Max Verstappen: Early Life, Family, and Education 

Emilian, the Formula 1 racer, was born on September 30, 1997, in Hasselt, Belgium.

Jos Verstappen, who was also a former Dutch Formula One driver, is his father, and Sophie Kumpen, a Belgian who participated in karting, is his mother. Max also has a younger sister named Victoria Verstappen. 

Max Verstappen
Max with his father (Source: Instagram)

Not to mention, he has been a Kart racer since he was four years old. Then, at nine, Max won his first national championship.

Due to racing preparations, Max had a private instructor and only went to school once a week. His parents also supported him in following his passion for racing.

Body Measurements

The Belgian-Dutch race car driver is 5 feet 11 inches (181 cm) tall and weighs around 158.5 pounds (72 kg). As expected, he has maintained his overall health. 

Likewise, Max has got stunning blue eyes and honey blonde hair that compliments his fair complexion. 

Max Verstappen: Career 

Max began his career in karting, winning the Belgian title in 2006 and the Dutch Minimax title in 2007.

Following that, Mad Max confirmed his racing debut in the Florida Winter Series on January 16 of 2014. He won his first ultimate formula race at Palm Beach International Raceway on February 5, 2014.

Then, on February 19, he won his second race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, beating Nicholas Latifi by 0.004 seconds.

After that, he raced in the FIA European Formula 3 Championship for Van Amersfoort Racing. 

Formula One Career 

In August of 2014, Verstappen joined the Red Bull Junior Team.

Mad Max WAS THE YOUNGEST DRIVER TO START A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE AT THE AGE OF 17 AND 166 DAYS AT THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX OF 2015. 

However, due to an engine issue, he was forced to retire and settle for 11th place in China. But he did finish fourth in Hungary, his highest performance of the season.

As a result, during the FIA Award Ceremony, he was named Year’s Rookie, Personality of the Year, and Action of the Year.

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Red Bull 

Then, on May 5, 2016, Red Bull announced that Verstappen would take over for Daniil Kvyat in the Spanish Grand Prix. He finished in the fourth position in Spanish Grand Prix and won his maiden Formula One race.

He struggled to acclimate to the weather after qualifying fourth at the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen
Max in his racing gears (Source: Instagram)

Furthermore, he retired from seven of the first 14 races, four of which were due to technical issues, and three were due to opening-lap incidents.

Out of the 14 races he competed in, he finished third in China. He had a regular racing season after that.

Then, just a day after his 20th birthday, he won the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix, his second Formula One race. He then finished second in the next event in Japan. Then he won his third Formula One race at the Mexican Grand Prix.

However, he bounced back with his first comeback in Spain, finishing third despite being involved in another minor accident. Then he finished third in Canada, setting the fastest lap of the race. Later, in France, he rose to second place.

Finally, he started fourth on the grid in Austria and went on to win his fourth race of the season. He finished fourth in Germany after that.

Following that, he finished on the podium in Belgium, Singapore, Japan, and the United States.

Shift from Renault to Honda 

Then, for the 2019 season, Red Bull moved from Renault to Honda. After that, they won their first race in Austria with Verstappen and Pierre Gasly.

As a result, this was Honda’s first race win since the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Then, at the German Grand Prix, Verstappen won his second race of the season. Following that, he won his third race of the season at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Finally, he finished the season in second place in Abu Dhabi. He finished third in the championship this time, with 278 points, a career-high.

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The 2020 season 

Max extended his contract with Red Bull until 2023 during the 2020 season. He won the Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, held for the 70th time after a rough start.

Mad Max finished eleven times on the podium this season, with two race victories and three fastest laps. He eventually finished third in the championship with 214 points.

In addition, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had a fierce rivalry in the 2021 season. The race was delayed on lap 33 after Verstappen grabbed the lead over Hamilton in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Nonetheless, Hamilton’s championship lead over Verstappen was down to just one point.

After the Spanish Grand Prix, though, the margin grew to 14 points. Verstappen, on the other side, won the race in Monaco, while Hamilton finished ninth.

For the first time, Verstappen was able to take the lead in the Drivers’ Championship. He was four points ahead of Hamilton at the time. Verstappen led Hamilton by 8 points at the end of the British Grand Prix after a few ups and downs.

Max Verstappen: Controversies 

Slurs

The remarkable career of Verstappen has been clouded by controversy. He commented on the radio during the free practice for the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2020, using terminology like “retard” and “Mongol.”

Verstappen then accepted his error, stating that his wordings were “not correct.”

On the other hand, the Mongolian government demanded that Verstappen apologize for his remarks and that the FIA take measures against him.

The FIA, on the other hand, took no action.

Crash with Hamilton 

Then, in 2021, during the British Grand Prix, Verstappen and Hamilton crashed as Hamilton attempted to overtake him.

Verstappen was then forced to withdraw from the race. On the other hand, Hamilton was given a 10-second penalty and went on to win the race.

On the other hand, Verstappen termed him “disrespectful” for celebrating the victory while in the hospital.

Hamilton should have been disqualified instead of receiving the penalty, according to Max’s father, Jos. Meanwhile, Hamilton acknowledged he had no idea Verstappen was in the hospital and wished him well.

Max Verstappen: Relationships 

Verstappen is currently dating Kelly Piquet. She is German by blood, but she also has Brazilian ancestors.

She is also the daughter of three-time Formula One world winner Nelson Piquet.

They also posted details about their romance on social media. 

Max Verstappen
Max with his current girlfriend (source: Instagram)

However, both of these two were dating others. But Kelly ended her relationship with Kvyat in December 2019, while Verstappen ended with Dilara Salik later that year.

Kelly is also a professional motorsports blogger and columnist. She also manages the official Formula E website’s blog blogging and social media departments.

Max Verstappen: Net Worth, Salary, and Sponsorships

Verstappen has a total estimated net worth of $60 million as of 2021 and a big contract with Red Bull through 2023.

Max is also the fourth highest-paid driver in Formula One, with a salary of $26 million. His other primary sources of income are numerous endorsements.

Ziggo, CarNext.com, G-Star Raw, Jumbo Supermarkets, and Red Bull are some of his sponsors.

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Max Verstappen: Social Media Presence 

Verstappen is currently the world’s second most popular racer. As a result, he has a significant social media following.

As of December 2021, Verstappen has over 1.7 million Facebook fans and over 1.9 million Twitter followers. His Instagram followers, on the other hand, are over 5.5 million.

Max primarily uses his social media accounts to share information about his racing.

Max Verstappen: Interesting Facts 

  • Max’s parents had already been divorced for an extended period, but he had never dealt with the consequences. Instead, the couple was the most supportive of their son.
  • The car racer is a health-conscious individual. As a result, he routinely visits the gym and cycles.
  • Max absolutely hates spiders and shark sightings the most.

Max Verstappen: Frequently Asked Questions 

Which footballer is Max’s favorite?

Johan Cryuff is Verstappen’s favorite footballer. He predominantly played for Barcelona and the Netherlands National Team.

Which video game is Max’s favorite?

Max is a FIFA fanatic. Max enjoys playing FIFA on the PlayStation.

Who all has the star dated?

Max has dated quite a few women. Sabre Cook, Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky, Joyce Godefridi, Roos Van Der Aa, Maxime Pourquié, and Dilara Salik are the names of the players. Max is now dating Kelly Piquet.

Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. With a background in engineering and a love for all things active, Sanjib brings a unique perspective to the world of sports writing. Whether he is covering the latest trends in sports technology or sharing tips on improving your game, Sanjib's words are always rooted in a deep appreciation for players' hard work and dedication everywhere. In his free time, you can find him hitting the courts or hitting the trails, always looking for new ways to challenge himself and improve his skills.

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