Max Verstappen is a Dutch racing driver and the 2021 and 2022 Formula One World Champion, who competes for Red Bull Racing. He is the son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen.
Verstappen had a successful run in junior karting and single-seater categories, breaking several records. In 2015, he became the youngest-ever F1 driver at the age of 17. After starting with Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015, he was promoted to Red Bull Racing in 2016, winning his first Grand Prix at the age of 18.
Verstappen became the first Dutch driver to win the F1 World Championship in 2021 and defended his title in 2022. He has achieved 36 victories and 21 pole positions in his career, and has signed a contract extension with Red Bull until at least 2028.
In addition to his success in Formula One, Verstappen has also won multiple karting and junior single-seater championships earlier in his career. He is known for his aggressive driving style and fearless overtaking maneuvers, which have earned him a legion of fans around the world.
Table of Contents
Bio/Wiki Table
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Max Verstappen |
| Age | 25 Years Old |
| Height | 1.80m (5′ 11″) |
| Occupation | Racing Driver |
| Girlfriend | Kelly Piquet |
| Net Worth | $200 Million |
Young & Early Life
Max Verstappen was born on September 30, 1997, in Hasselt, Belgium, to former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen, a Belgian karting champion. Growing up, he split his time between Belgium and the Netherlands, and he began karting at the age of four.
Verstappen’s racing career began in 2011, at the age of 13, when he entered the Mini Junior championship in Belgium. He won his first race and went on to win the championship that year. In 2012, he won the Belgian KF5 Championship, and in 2013, he became the youngest driver to win the European KF championship at the age of 15.
Max Verstappen continued his rise through the ranks of motorsport and moved up to single-seater racing in 2014, competing in the Florida Winter Series and the FIA’s European Formula 3 championship in 2014 and 2015. He won 10 races in his debut season, finishing third in the championship, and was signed by Scuderia Toro Rosso to drive in Formula One for the 2015 season at the age of 17.
Despite his youth and lack of experience, Verstappen quickly made an impact in Formula One, scoring points in his debut race and becoming the youngest driver to score points and the youngest driver to lead a lap in Formula One. His impressive performances earned him a promotion to Red Bull Racing in 2016, where he won his first Grand Prix at the Spanish Grand Prix on his debut for the team at the age of 18.
Parents
Max Emilian Verstappen is the son of former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen and Belgian karting champion Sophie Kumpen.
Jos Verstappen competed in Formula One between 1994 and 2003, driving for teams such as Benetton, Simtek, Arrows, Stewart, and Minardi. He achieved two podium finishes during his career and also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2008. Sophie Kumpen was a successful karting driver, winning several championships in Belgium and competing in the World Karting Championship.
Age, Height, Weight
Max Verstappen was born on September 30, 1997, which makes him currently 25 years old. He stands at a height of 1.81 meters (5 feet 11 inches) and weighs around 67 kg (148 pounds).
Junior Career
Max Verstappen had a successful junior career in karting and single-seater categories before moving up to Formula One. He began karting at the age of four and won his first championship, the Mini Junior championship in Belgium, at the age of 13.
In 2012, Verstappen won the Belgian KF5 Championship and the WSK Euro Series KF2 championship. The following year, he became the youngest driver to win the European KF championship at the age of 15.
In 2014, Verstappen moved up to single-seater racing, competing in the Florida Winter Series and the FIA’s European Formula 3 championship in 2014 and 2015. He won 10 races in his debut season, finishing third in the championship.
In 2015, Verstappen competed in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and finished third overall, with 10 race wins, 16 podiums, and four pole positions. His impressive performances caught the attention of the Scuderia Toro Rosso team, who signed him to drive for them in Formula One for the 2015 season.
Formula One Career
Max Verstappen’s Formula One career year-by-year:
2015
Max Verstappen made his Formula One debut with Scuderia Toro Rosso at the Australian Grand Prix. He became the youngest driver in Formula One history, at 17 years and 166 days. He finished 12th in the championship standings, scoring 49 points and achieving a best finish of fourth place in Hungary.
2016
Max Verstappen started the season with Toro Rosso but was promoted to Red Bull Racing after four races to replace Daniil Kvyat. He won his first race for Red Bull Racing at the Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the youngest-ever Formula One race winner, at 18 years and 227 days. He finished fifth in the championship standings, scoring 204 points.
2017
Max Verstappen had a challenging season with Red Bull Racing, suffering a number of retirements and finishing in the top five on only seven occasions. He finished sixth in the championship standings, with 168 points.
2018
Max Verstappen won two races for Red Bull Racing, in Austria and Mexico. He finished fourth in the championship standings, scoring 249 points.
2019
Max Verstappen won three races for Red Bull Racing, in Austria, Germany, and Brazil. He finished third in the championship standings, with 278 points.
2020
Max Verstappen won two races for Red Bull Racing, in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He finished third in the championship standings, scoring 214 points.
2021
Max Verstappen won 10 races for Red Bull Racing, including a crucial victory in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to secure his first Formula One World Championship. He finished the season with 369.5 points, ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s 351.5 points.
2022
Max Verstappen won 8 races for Red Bull Racing, including the Dutch Grand Prix in front of his home crowd. He clinched his second consecutive Formula One World Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix with three races remaining, finishing the season with 405 points.
Awards and Honours
Max Verstappen has received several awards and honours throughout his racing career, including:
- Dutch Sportsman of the Year: Verstappen has won the Dutch Sportsman of the Year award four times, in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2021.
- Laureus World Sports Award: Verstappen was nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award in 2016, after his first season with Red Bull Racing.
- FIA Personality of the Year: Verstappen was named FIA Personality of the Year in 2016 and 2019.
- FIA Action of the Year: Verstappen won the FIA Action of the Year award in 2016, 2017, and 2019 for his overtaking moves during races.
- Royal Netherlands Air Force Honorary Captain: Verstappen was appointed Honorary Captain of the Royal Netherlands Air Force in 2017.
- FIA Pole Trophy: Verstappen won the FIA Pole Trophy in 2021, awarded to the driver with the most pole positions in a season.
- Autosport Awards: Verstappen won the Autosport Awards International Racing Driver of the Year award in 2021.
- Red Bull Hall of Fame: Verstappen was inducted into the Red Bull Hall of Fame in 2021, alongside fellow Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo.
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Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau: Verstappen was appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in 2022, for his achievements in motorsport and his contribution to the country’s international reputation.
Karting Record
Max Verstappen’s karting career was very successful, and he started karting at a young age of four. He won numerous championships in various categories, and some of his significant achievements include:
- 2005: Dutch Minimax Championship
- 2006: Belgian Minimax Championship
- 2007: Belgian and Dutch Minimax Championship
- 2008: Belgian KF5 Championship, Belgian and Dutch KF3 Championship
- 2009: WSK Euro Series, WSK World Series, and the KF3 European Championship
- 2010: KF3 Winter Cup, WSK World Series, CIK-FIA European KF3 Championship, and the CIK-FIA World KF3 Championship
Verstappen’s success in karting earned him a reputation as a promising young driver, and he made his transition to single-seater racing in 2014.
Racing Record
Max Verstappen’s racing record till 2023 is as follows:
- 2014: Max made his car racing debut in the Florida Winter Series and won 2 out of 6 races.
- 2015: Max made his F1 debut with Scuderia Toro Rosso at the Australian Grand Prix. He became the youngest driver to compete in F1 at the age of 17 years, 166 days.
- 2016: Max was promoted to Red Bull Racing after just four races with Toro Rosso. He became the youngest ever F1 race winner at the age of 18 years, 227 days, winning the Spanish Grand Prix.
- 2017: Max won two more races for Red Bull Racing and finished 6th in the championship.
- 2018: Max won two races and finished 4th in the championship.
- 2019: Max won three races and finished 3rd in the championship.
- 2020: Max won two races and finished 3rd in the championship.
- 2021: Max won 10 races and finished 2nd in the championship, losing out on the championship title in the final race of the season to Lewis Hamilton.
- 2022: Max won the opening race of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix and finished 2nd in the championship, behind Hamilton.
Overall, Max has won 23 races, achieved 45 podium finishes, and has 15 pole positions in his F1 career so far.
Net Worth
Max Verstappen started his Formula One career in 2015. He has been a Red Bull driver ever since, consistently competing at the top level. As a result, he is among the highest-paid drivers in the sport.
Verstappen’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $200 million, primarily earned through racing and sponsorship deals.
Currently, Verstappen is the highest-paid driver on the Formula One grid and has a contract with Red Bull that runs until the end of the 2028 season.
Salary
In 2022, Max Verstappen earned a salary of $54 million, making him the highest-paid driver on the Formula One grid.
At the beginning of his Formula One career with Toro Rosso, Verstappen’s salary was between $5 million and $8 million per season. After he moved to Red Bull, his salary increased to $12 million.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen’s main rival, is the second-highest earner on the grid, making $35 million annually. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc earned approximately $24 million in 2022.
Girlfriend
Max Verstappen is in a relationship with Kelly Piquet, a model and the daughter of former F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet. They have been together for over two years and have been seen together in the F1 paddock multiple times.
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Verstappen has mentioned that Kelly is very supportive and understanding of his career. He has expressed his willingness to start a family with her in the future. Prior to dating Verstappen, Kelly was in a relationship with former Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat, with whom she has a daughter.
Private Jet or Yacht
Max Verstappen possesses a private jet to travel from race to race and back home. The Dutchman owns a Dassault Falcon 900EX valued at around $13 Million. In 2021, he purchased the jet from Virgin Air CEO Richard Branson. Although Red Bull’s Chief Advisor revealed that Verstappen had installed a simulator on his jet, the Formula One driver denied it.
Verstappen has a passion for racing and participates in many online tournaments both during and outside of the F1 season. He also prefers to practice for upcoming races on his state-of-the-art simulator.
Apart from the private jet, Verstappen also owns a 120-ft yacht named ‘Bagheera,’ which is docked in the Monaco harbor. The luxurious boat features three floors, bedrooms, a bar, and a lounge overlooking an infinity jacuzzi.
Car Collection
Max Verstappen’s love for fast cars is evident through his impressive car collection, both on and off the track.
At 18, Verstappen made his first big purchase, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, after his win at the 2016 Spanish GP, for over $400,000. He also had the opportunity to drive Aston Martin’s “Bond Car,” the DB11, between 2018 and 2019.
Verstappen is the proud owner of the world’s fastest street-legal car, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, of which only 85 models were produced. It has a 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 engine and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds.
Verstappen’s collection also includes a $2 million Ferrari Monza and a Ferrari SF90 Stradale, worth $730,000, which he was seen purchasing from a showroom in Monaco.
FAQs
What is Max Verstappen’s net worth?
Max Verstappen’s net worth is estimated to be around $200 million.
What team does Max Verstappen drive for in Formula 1?
Max Verstappen drives for Red Bull Racing in Formula 1.
How many Formula 1 races has Max Verstappen won?
As of 2023, Max Verstappen has won a total of 24 Formula 1 races.
Has Max Verstappen ever won the Formula 1 World Championship?
Yes, Max Verstappen won his first Formula 1 World Championship in 2021.
Who is Max Verstappen’s girlfriend?
Max Verstappen is currently dating model Kelly Piquet, who is the daughter of former F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet.
What cars does Max Verstappen own?
Max Verstappen owns a collection of fast cars, including a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, an Aston Martin Valkyrie, a Ferrari Monza, and a Ferrari SF90 Stradale.
What is Max Verstappen’s height and weight?
Max Verstappen is 6 feet 1 inch (185 cm) tall and weighs 176 pounds (80 kg).
What is Max Verstappen’s best finish in the Formula 1 World Championship?
Max Verstappen’s best finish in the Formula 1 World Championship is first place, which he achieved in 2021.
