Max Verstappen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Max Verstappen
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Verstappen at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix
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Max Emilian Verstappen
30 September 1997 Hasselt, Limburg, Belgium
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| Partner(s) | Kelly Piquet (2020–present) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Dutch |
| Car number | 33 1 (2022–present) |
| Entries | 214 (214 starts) |
| Championships | 4 (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) |
| Wins | 64 |
| Podiums | 115 |
| Career points | 3110.5 |
| Pole positions | 42 |
| Fastest laps | 33 |
| First entry | 2015 Australian Grand Prix |
| First win | 2016 Spanish Grand Prix |
| Last win | 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2019 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 2024 position | 1st (437 pts) |
| Previous series | |
| 2014 | FIA F3 European |
| Championship titles | |
| 2014 | Masters of F3 |
| Signature | |
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Max Emilian Verstappen (born 30 September 1997) is a Dutch and Belgian racing driver. He races in Formula One for Red Bull Racing under the Dutch flag. Max has won four Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles in a row, from 2021 to 2024. He has also won many races during his career.
Max was born in Hasselt, Belgium, and grew up in Maaseik. His father, Jos Verstappen, was also a Formula One driver. His mother, Sophie Kumpen, was a successful kart racer. Max had a great karting career, winning many championships. In 2014, he moved up to FIA European Formula 3. He finished third in his first year, setting several records.
In 2015, at just 17 years old, Max joined the Toro Rosso team. He became the youngest driver ever to start a Formula One race. After a strong start, he moved to the main Red Bull team in 2016. In his very first race with Red Bull, he won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. This made him the youngest driver ever to win a Formula One Grand Prix, at 18 years old.
Max won his first championship in 2021 after a close fight with Lewis Hamilton. He then won two more titles in 2022 and 2023, breaking many records. In 2024, he secured his fourth championship, winning nine races. Max is known for his speed and skill. He holds many Formula One records, like the most wins in a season (19) and the most consecutive wins (10). He is signed with Red Bull until at least 2028. Max also enjoys sim racing and has won several big online events.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Max Emilian Verstappen was born on 30 September 1997 in Hasselt, Belgium. His parents are Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen. Max lived with his father after his parents separated. His younger sister, Victoria, lived with their mother. Max also has three younger half-siblings from his father's later marriages.
His family has a strong connection to motor sports. His father was a Formula One driver, and his mother was a kart racer. His cousin, Anthony Kumpen, also raced cars. Max went to school in Maaseik but later switched to private lessons. This allowed him to travel for races with his father.
Junior Racing Career
Karting Success
Max started karting at age four and began competing at age seven. From 2005 to 2009, he won many championships in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In 2010, Max started racing internationally with the CRG factory team. He finished second in the KF3 World Cup and won the WSK Euro Series. In 2011, he won the WSK Euro Series again. In 2012, he won the WSK Master Series in the KF2 class.
Record-Breaking 2013 Season
In 2013, Max had an amazing year in karting. He won three major CIK-FIA championships in one season. This was a first in karting history! He won two European Championships and a World Championship. At 15, he became the youngest driver to win the KZ World Championship. He beat Charles Leclerc to the title. Max also won other important races like the South Garda Winter Cup.
Moving to Formula Cars
Max first tried formula racing cars in August 2013. He tested for several teams that year. He was very fast, even quicker than more experienced drivers.
2014: Florida Winter Series and Formula Three
In January 2014, Max raced in the Florida Winter Series. He won two races there. After that, he joined the 2014 FIA Formula 3 European Championship with Van Amersfoort Racing. At 16, he won 10 races, including six in a row. He became the youngest race winner and pole-sitter in Formula Three history. He finished third overall in the championship.
Formula One Career
Max joined the Red Bull Junior Team in August 2014. He also had an offer from Mercedes. In October 2014, he took part in his first Formula One practice session at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. He was just 17 years and three days old, making him the youngest person ever to drive in a Formula One race weekend.
Toro Rosso (2015–2016)
Max became a full-time driver for Toro Rosso in 2015. His teammate was Carlos Sainz. At the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, he became the youngest driver to start a World Championship race. In the next race in Malaysia, he finished seventh. This made him the youngest driver to score Formula One points.
At the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix, Max had a big crash with Romain Grosjean. He was given a penalty for causing the accident. Despite this, he often finished in the points. His best result in 2015 was fourth place in Hungary and the United States. At the end of the season, he won three awards: "Rookie of the Year," "Personality of the Year," and "Action of the Year."
Max started the 2016 season with Toro Rosso again. He finished sixth in Bahrain, which was a great result for the team.
Red Bull (2016–Present)
2016: Youngest Grand Prix Winner
On 5 May 2016, Red Bull Racing announced that Max would join their team. He replaced Daniil Kvyat. In his first race for Red Bull, the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Max qualified fourth. He took the lead during the race and held off Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen. Max won the race, becoming the youngest driver ever to win a Formula One Grand Prix. He was 18 years and 228 days old.
In his first eight races with Red Bull, he finished in the top five six times, including four podiums. During the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, Max was criticized for his aggressive driving. Formula One director Charlie Whiting gave him a warning. Later, rules were changed to prevent drivers from moving under braking.
At the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix, Max started fourth. In a very wet race, he spun but recovered. He changed tires and was in 16th place with only 15 laps left. Max then made many amazing overtakes to finish third. His performance was highly praised.
2017–2018: Growing Stronger
In 2017, Max had some bad luck with seven retirements in the first 14 races. But he still managed a third place in China. From the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix onwards, Max had more success. He won his second Formula One race in Malaysia, the day after his 20th birthday. He also won his third race in Mexico.
The start of the 2018 season was tough for Max. He was involved in incidents in the first six races. In Bahrain, he crashed in qualifying and then collided with Lewis Hamilton in the race. In China, he crashed with Sebastian Vettel. In Azerbaijan, he collided with his teammate Daniel Ricciardo. After these incidents, Christian Horner, the Red Bull Team Principal, said Max needed to "stop making these mistakes."
Max bounced back with a third-place finish in Spain. He then won his fourth career race in Austria, Red Bull's home track. He had a very strong second half of the season, getting podium finishes in Belgium, Singapore, Japan, and the United States. He won his fifth race in Mexico. Max finished the 2018 season in fourth place overall, with two wins and eleven podiums.
2019–2020: Leading the Team
In 2019, Red Bull started using Honda engines. Max's new teammate was Pierre Gasly. Max started the season with a third-place finish in Australia. He had several strong finishes, including a podium in Spain. In Hungary, he got his first ever pole position, becoming the first Dutch driver to do so. He led most of the race but finished second.
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Max won his second race of the season in a wet and wild 2019 German Grand Prix. Before the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix, Alexander Albon became his new teammate. Max won his third race of the season in Brazil. He finished the 2019 season in third place in the championship, with three wins and nine podiums.
Max continued with Red Bull in 2020. He won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone. He also finished second in Hungary after crashing on the way to the grid but his mechanics fixed the car quickly. Max finished second in the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix and third in the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix. He ended the 2020 season in third place overall, with two wins and eleven podiums.
2021: Becoming World Champion
In 2021, Max had a very close championship battle with Lewis Hamilton. He started the season with a pole position in Bahrain but finished second. He won the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and took the lead in the championship after winning in Monaco. This made him the first Dutch driver to lead the World Drivers' Championship.
Max suffered a tire failure in Azerbaijan while leading, but Hamilton also made a mistake, so Max kept his lead. He won the 2021 French Grand Prix and then won two more races in Austria, including his first career grand slam. This means he took pole position, led every lap, set the fastest lap, and won the race.
At the 2021 British Grand Prix, Max had a high-speed crash with Hamilton. He was taken to the hospital for checks. Hamilton won the race, closing the championship gap. Max then won his home race, the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix, taking the championship lead back. He finished second in Russia and Turkey.
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Max won in the United States and Mexico, extending his championship lead. The final race of the season, the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was very dramatic. Max and Hamilton were tied on points. Max qualified on pole but lost the lead at the start. A safety car late in the race allowed Max to pit for new tires. On the very last lap, he passed Hamilton to win the race and his first World Drivers' Championship. He became the first World Drivers' Champion from the Netherlands.
2022: Second Championship Title
In March 2022, Max signed a new contract with Red Bull until 2028. As the reigning champion, he chose to race with the number 1 instead of his usual 33. He had some early retirements but then won three races in a row: Emilia Romagna, Miami, and Spain. This put him in the lead of the championship.
Max continued to win races in Azerbaijan and Canada. He then went on a streak of five consecutive wins. He won in France, Hungary, Belgium, Netherlands, and Italy. At the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, Max won the race and secured his second World Drivers' Championship. This was his 12th win of the season. He finished the year with 15 wins, breaking the record for most wins in a single season. He also set a new record for most points in a season with 454.
2023: Record-Breaking Third Title
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Max continued to race with Red Bull and Sergio Pérez in 2023. He started the season with a win in Bahrain. After finishing second in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, Max began a record-breaking winning streak. He won in Miami, Monaco, Spain, Canada, and Austria. He also won in Britain, Hungary, and Belgium.
His victory at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix was his tenth consecutive win, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record of nine wins in a row. This was also Red Bull's fifteenth consecutive win, a new team record. His winning streak ended in Singapore, where he finished fifth. However, he then won the remaining seven races of the season.
Max secured his third World Drivers' Championship at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix sprint race. His victory at the season-ending 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was his 19th win of the year, breaking his own record from 2022. He scored 575 points, more than double his teammate's points.
2024: Fourth Championship Title
Max started the 2024 season with a grand slam in Bahrain. He won again in Saudi Arabia, marking his 100th Formula One podium. His nine-race winning streak ended in Australia due to a brake issue. He then won in Japan and China. He also won the sprint race in Miami but finished second in the main race. He matched Ayrton Senna's record of eight consecutive pole positions in Emilia Romagna, which he converted into a win.
His pole streak ended in Monaco, where he finished sixth. He won his 60th race in Canada and then won in Spain. In Austria, he collided with Lando Norris and received a penalty, finishing fifth. He finished second in Britain and fifth in Hungary. Max qualified fastest in Belgium but started outside the top ten due to a penalty. He recovered to finish fourth, extending his championship lead.
At his home race in the Netherlands, Max finished second. He then had tougher races in Italy and Azerbaijan. In Singapore, he finished second to Norris. Max won the sprint in the United States and finished third in the main race. In Mexico, he received penalties for his driving and finished sixth.
At the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix, Max started 17th due to an engine penalty. In a rainy race, he made an incredible comeback, gaining many positions and winning by a large margin. This performance was highly praised. By finishing ahead of Norris in Las Vegas, Max secured his fourth world title with two races left. He won eight Grands Prix in total in 2024. He won the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix and finished the season in Abu Dhabi. He became the first driver to win a title for a team that finished third in the Constructors' Championship since 1983.
2025: Challenging McLaren
In 2025, Red Bull's car was not as strong as McLaren's. Max finished second in the season-opening 2025 Australian Grand Prix. In China, he struggled with tire wear and finished fourth. He then surprised everyone by taking pole position and winning the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, holding off both McLaren drivers. This win was seen as one of his best.
He finished sixth in Bahrain and second in Saudi Arabia after a penalty. In Miami, he won the sprint but finished fourth in the main race. He won the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after a great first-lap overtake. In Austria, he had his first retirement of the season after being hit by another car. He finished fifth in Britain after a spin. Max qualified fastest in Belgium but started outside the top ten due to a penalty. He recovered to finish fourth, extending his championship lead.
Driver Profile
Speed and Consistency
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Many experts believe Max Verstappen is one of the fastest drivers in Formula One history. After his first pole position in 2019, former champion Nico Rosberg said Max's pure speed put his car on pole, even if it wasn't the fastest car. Jenson Button, another former champion, said Max is "unbelievably fast."
In 2021, Jackie Stewart, a three-time champion, called Max the fastest driver but said he was still learning. Peter Windsor, a journalist, noted Max's amazing ability to change direction quickly in high-speed corners. After Max won his fourth title in 2024 with a car that wasn't always the best, many agreed he was the top driver in F1.
Dominance Over Teammates
Former F1 driver Eddie Irvine said Max is "by far the most dominant team leader on the grid." He pointed out that Max has had many different teammates, and none have been able to match his speed. Jenson Button also said he hadn't seen a driver "annihilate their teammates like he [Max] has in a very long time."
Journalist Scott Mitchell explained that Max drives mostly by instinct, which comes from years of practice. This makes it hard for other drivers to understand how he is so fast, even with all the data. Helmut Marko, a Red Bull advisor, said Max has clearly become faster than his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo.
Natural Talent
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After Max's first F1 win, three-time champion Niki Lauda called him the "talent of the century." Christian Horner, Red Bull's team boss, said Max is the best driver they have ever seen in their cars.
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso said Max is "one step ahead of all of us." He believed Max deserved to win the 2021 championship. Karun Chandhok compared Max's tough racing style to seven-time champion Michael Schumacher. By 2025, many in Formula One considered Max the best driver in the world.
Racecraft
After Max received a warning for his driving in 2016, Lewis Hamilton defended him. Hamilton said, "give the guy a break, he is 18 years old. What the frickin' heck were any of us doing at 18?"
After the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Max faced some criticism for his aggressive moves. However, after his strong performance in 2022, journalist David Tremayne said Max had reached a new level. In 2024, after some controversial incidents, Max was compared to legends like Senna and Schumacher for his "win-at-all-costs" attitude. Max himself criticized what he called "British bias" in the media.
Fan Support
Max has a huge fanbase, especially from the Netherlands. His fans are often called the Orange Army because of the Dutch national color. Many races in Europe have special "Verstappen grandstands" for his Dutch fans.
In 2021, Max was voted the most popular Formula One driver in a worldwide survey. A fan-made song called "Super Max!" became very popular after his 2021 championship win. Another song, "33 Max Verstappen," also went viral.
Other Racing
Sim Racing
Max enjoys sim racing in his free time. He says it helps him stay sharp for real-life racing. Since 2015, he has been part of Team Redline, a professional sim racing team.
iRacing Special Events
Max has competed in several big online endurance races on iRacing. In 2019, he won the Spa 24 Special Event with Lando Norris. He also won the Petit Le Mans Special Event in 2020. Romain Grosjean, another F1 driver, called Max the "fastest" driver in sim racing.
In January 2024, Max won the Daytona 24 Special Event in the GTD class. In May, he won the Nürburgring 24 Special Event on the same weekend as an F1 race. He won both events! This showed he is one of the best sim racers in the world. He also won his second Spa 24 Special Event in July 2024.
Le Mans Virtual
Max also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual races from 2020 to 2023. He described the 2023 event as a "clown show" after a technical issue forced him to retire from the lead.
Verstappen.com Racing
In 2022, Max started his own racing team called Verstappen.com Racing. It supports his father, Jos, in rallying and Thierry Vermeulen in other racing series. In 2025, the team also started competing in endurance races. They won the Gold Cup at the 24 Hours of Spa.
Personal Life
Max has both Dutch and Belgian citizenship. He chose to race under the Dutch flag. He said in 2014 that he "feels more Dutch" because he spent more time with his father growing up. He also said he "actually only lived in Belgium to sleep."
Max got his road driving license on his 18th birthday. The next day, he moved to Monaco, where he has lived ever since. In 2020, he bought a private jet. In 2025, he bought a yacht and a new, larger private jet.
Max supports the football clubs FC Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven. He speaks three languages: Dutch, English, and German. He learned German while karting with Michael Schumacher. In September 2022, he was honored with the title of Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his racing achievements.
Max has been dating Brazilian-Dutch model Kelly Piquet since October 2020. They had their first daughter, Lily, in April 2025.
Awards and Honours
Formula One
- Formula One World Drivers' Championship: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- DHL Fastest Lap Award: 2022, 2023
- FIA Action of the Year: 2015, 2016, 2019
- FIA Rookie of the Year: 2015
- FIA Personality of the Year: 2015, 2016, 2017
- Lorenzo Bandini Trophy: 2016
Other Awards
- Time 100: 2024
- Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: 2022
- Dutch Sportsman of the Year: 2016, 2021, 2022
- Autosport International Racing Driver Award: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Best Driver ESPY Award: 2023, 2024, 2025
- FIA Action of the Year: 2014
- Autosport Awards Rookie of the Year: 2015
- Autosport Awards Moment of the Year: 2024
Orders and Special Awards
Netherlands
Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (2022)
Formula One Records
Max Verstappen holds many Formula One records:
| Record | Achieved | |
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| Age | ||
| Youngest driver to start a race | 17 years, 166 days | 2015 Australian Grand Prix |
| Youngest driver to score points | 17 years, 180 days | 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix |
| Youngest driver to score a podium finish | 18 years, 228 days | 2016 Spanish Grand Prix |
| Youngest driver to win a race | 18 years, 228 days | 2016 Spanish Grand Prix |
| Youngest driver to score a grand slam | 23 years, 277 days | 2021 Austrian Grand Prix |
| Wins | ||
| Most wins in a season | 19 | 2023 |
| Most consecutive wins | 10 | 2023 Miami Grand Prix – 2023 Italian Grand Prix |
| Highest percentage of wins in a season | 86.36% | 2023 |
| Most wins not starting from pole position in a season | 9 | 2022 |
| Most sprint wins | 11 | 2024 United States Grand Prix sprint |
| Most sprint wins in a season | 4 | 2023, 2024 |
| Pole Positions | ||
| Most consecutive pole positions | 8 | 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix |
| Podium Finishes | ||
| Most podium finishes in a season | 21 | 2023 |
| Points | ||
| Most points in a season | 575 | 2023 |
| Highest percentage of points in a season | 92.74% | 2023 |
| Most consecutive points scored | 1055 | 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix |
| Largest points deficit overturned to become World Champion | 46 | 2022 |
| Laps Led | ||
| Most laps led in a season | 1003 | 2023 |
| Highest percentage of laps led in a season | 75.70% | 2023 |
| Other Records | ||
| Most races left in a season when becoming World Champion | 6 | 2023 |
| Most hat-tricks in a season | 6 | 2023 |
| Most consecutive races as championship leader | 63 | 2022 Spanish Grand Prix – 2025 Australian Grand Prix |
| Most consecutive days as championship leader | 1029 | 2022 Spanish Grand Prix – 2025 Australian Grand Prix |
See also
In Spanish: Max Verstappen para niños
