Max
Verstappen
Netherlands
·
F1
Date of birth | September 30, 1997 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Hasselt, Belgium |
Age | 28 |
Nationality | Netherlands |
Career start | 2015 |
Disciplines | Formula 1 |
As well as a famously fast father, Max Verstappen's mother, Sophie, was also a successful kart driver.
Born in Hasselt, Belgium, in 1997, it wasn’t long before the young Max hit the race track and by 2003 he was karting regularly in Genk, Belgium. In 2005, things got serious and he took part in his first championship, the Belgium Championship Mini (VAS), where he won all 21 races. By 2013, Max had won just about everything karting had to offer, winning the 2013 World KZ Championship at Varennes-sur-Allier in France. His single-seater debut came in the inaugural Florida Winter Series, but he was soon snapped up by Van Amersfoort to take part in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. At just 16, Max took the F3 championship by storm, winning his sixth race before going on to win an incredible six consecutive victories in the series and placing third in the overall rankings.
He joined Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015, making him the youngest Formula One driver in history, surpassing the record of Jaime Alguersuari by nearly two years. Max went on to score an impressive 49 points in his debut season, taking two fourth places.
After just four races in 2016, Max moved from Scuderia Toro Rosso to join Oracle Red Bull Racing and race alongside Daniel Ricciardo. In his very first Grand Prix for the team in Spain, he defied the odds and, under relentless pressure from 2007 world champion Kimi Räikkönen, took an epic first victory. Verstappen wasn't finished there however. A further six podium finishes, including perhaps the standout drive of the season in rain-lashed Brazil, landed him fifth overall in the 2016 World Championship and confirmed him as the hottest young talent in F1.
More promising results came in 2017, with victories in Malaysia and Mexico, second in Japan and third in China, securing him an overall finish of sixth place. But Max's form went up a gear during 2018, when he finished in a career-best fourth place overall thanks to victories in Austria and Mexico, and a string of impressive podium places all over the world.
Max went one better once again in the 2019 Formula One season with third-place overall in the standings as a result of consistent performances, which earned him podium places in Australia and Spain, a memorable win at the Red Bull Ring at the Austrian Grand Prix and an impressive first place at the Hockenheimring at a dramatic and rain-soaked German Grand Prix.
After that, he finished the 2019 campaign strongly with podium spots in Hungary, Singapore, the USA, first place in Brazil and second place in Abu Dhabi to confirm his reputation as one of Formula One's most formidable and improving drivers.
After scoring third place in the Styrian Grand Prix, he went one better by finishing second at Hungarian Grand Prix and the British Grand Prix. By that point, it was clear that Max had made a home from home for himself on the F1 podium and he went one better once again by claiming first place at the UK 70th Anniversary Formula One Grand Prix. The Dutch driver ended the season in style with a victory in Abu Dhabi to end the campaign in third place overall.
2021 was one where Max went from a consistent podium presence capable of occasional giant-killing results to a bona fide world championship contender.
The list of firsts were many, mostly because Max spent so much of the season finishing first. A first win on the most famous city streets of all in Monaco, a first hat-trick of wins in France, Styria and Austria (leading all 142 laps across two memorable races at the Red Bull Ring) and a first win in the United States were highlights. Still, it would be hard to top his domination of his home race at Zandvoort in September, where he took pole and won the race in front of a frenzied, orange-hued home crowd.
Max then finished on top of the world for the first time, securing his first Formula One world title in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
The following season saw Max assert his dominance over the sport, retaining the world title with four races to spare and surpassing the record for most wins in a season, which Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher had jointly held.
He secured his third world title in 2023 with an incredible five races to spare, joining some of the sport's most famous names to win three titles, including Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Jackie Stewart. Max secured his hat-trick of world titles, and the Dutch superstar set a new record for the most wins ever in a season, as he won a staggering 19 races in 2023.
Starting the 2024 season with three world titles to his name, it was no surprise to see Max winning Grands Prix all around the world once again. It wasn't the sweeping season 2023 was, but Max remained focused and determined in the face of a strong challenge from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure an incredible fourth straight F1 world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with two races still to go.
You can rest assured that Max already has eyes on title five in 2025.
Max Verstappen celebrates victory in Qatar
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Toasting victory at Monza with a can or two
© Clive Rose/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
2025's late-season surge continued with victory in Vegas
© Meg Oliphant/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
From last place to third – Max celebrates with his team
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool