Max Emilian Verstappen, commonly known as a Belgian dutch, is an auto racing driver. He was born on 30th September’1997 in Hasselt, Belgium. Presently, Verstappen is the most competing and successful dutch driver appearing in Formula 1. He was declared the youngest driver to compete in the Formula 1 series when he was 17 years old at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix. He has had a background related to motor racing from the start because of his parents’ involvement.
Jos Verstappen – Max’s father had formerly competed as one of the dutch drivers at Formula One, and his mother, Sophie Kumpen, was fond of karting. As a small direct family, he shared space with his younger sister Victoria. Even though Verstappen was born and raised in Belgium, Max was keen to identify himself as a Dutch driver and enrolled as one for Formula 1. He had previously raced in several F1 races before gaining his license.
Max Verstappen-Early Career
1) Karting
Max Verstappen was four years old when he got introduced to karting. He participated in his home province of Limburg’s Mini Junior championship (Belgium). He had been promoted to the Rotax Max Minimax class in 2006 and had won the Championship. The following year Verstappen won another championship race, known as the Dutch Minimax.
He later raced a CRG kart, recommended by his father, and won the Dutch and Belgian Minimax Championships as well as the Belgian Cadet Championship. Verstappen won the Belgian KF5 and the Flemish Minimax championships in 2009 after signing up for Team Pex Racing.
CRG signed up Max Verstappen to race for their team at the European Championship, giving him the chance to race internationally for the first time. Verstappen secured the second position in the KF3 world cup. Later, he participated in the WSK Euro Series and defeated his opponent Alexander Albon, who formerly took first place at the KF3 world cup.
The following year brought him another WSK title, which he raced in an Italian-led CRG. 2012 led him to an opportunity of being a part of the Intrepid Driver Program and participating in KF2 and KZ2 races. With time he won the WSK Master Series and South Garda Winter Cup in the KF2.
Max Verstappen joined the CRG team again in September 2012 after leaving Intrepid. Max took part in SKUSA Super Nationals and secured the 21st position. Verstappen won the European KF and KZ awards in 2013. At the age of 15, he won the World KZ Championship in Varennes-sur-Allier, France.
2) Formula Racing
Verstappen’s first race car driving experience took place at Pembrey Circuit in October 2013. His first drive of 160 laps was with a Barazi-Epsilon FR2.0–10, one of the cars included in Formula Renault. Manor Motorsport sponsored this car for the entire race. He participated in numerous Formula Renault 2.0 series during 2013.
2013 brought the racer another chance to use Dallara F311 Formula 3 cars. He appeared for another Formula Renault by December. Verstappen broke the record of several racers, including Tatiana Calderón and Eddie Cheever III, at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
3) Florida Winter Series
Max Verstappen decided to appear for the Florida Winter Series on 16th January 2014. The same year he had already got himself the title of Formula race winner in the second week of races. Verstappen won his second race at Homestead–Miami Speedway on February 19 by 0.004 seconds over Nicholas Latifi.
4) Formula Three
Max Verstappen raced in the FIA European Formula 3 Championship in 2014. He finished third in his first season of automobile racing, behind winner Esteban Ocon and runner-up Tom Blomqvist, with ten races won.
Max Verstappen-Formula One Career
Scuderia Toro Rosso (2014–2016)
Mercedes offered Verstappen a development deal regarding their program. The Red Bull Junior Team convinced Max to join after he drove one of their cars.
Max Verstappen took part in the first free practice game at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. marking him the youngest driver to appear in a Grand Prix weekend to prepare for a full-time position with Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015. Verstappen was already the youngest world champion before he applied to be licensed.
He appeared at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix and surpassed Jaime Alguersuari’s existing record of two years. Verstappen’s race was called off early due to an engine failure. Verstappen broke the record of the youngest driver to score World Championship points at the subsequent race in Malaysia, qualifying 6th and finishing 7th. He ended up securing 11th position in Spain and faced technical issues in both China and Bahrain.
During the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix, he collided with his opponent Romain Grosjean, resulting in a face-first strike against the side barriers. Due to this, he received a penalty score and was declared dangerous by fellow racers.
Max Verstappen later finished fourth in the 2015 season in Hungary and won at the United States Grand Prix. Moreover, he earned himself three titles at the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony: Rookie of the Year, Personality of the Year, and Action of the Year. In the 2016 Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen qualified fifth and placed tenth.
Red Bull (2016-Present)
Max Verstappen qualified from fourth to second at the Spanish Grand Prix due to Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s crash. Verstappen defeated Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen to win his first F1 race. At the age of 18, he broke Sebastian Vettel’s record for the youngest driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix.
Verstappen has six top-five finishes in his first eight races with Red Bull, including four podiums. Verstappen was involved in multiple incidents at the Belgian Grand Prix. He clashed with Räikkönen at the first corner, pushing Räikkönen, Pérez, and Vettel wide at Les Combes.
He then proceeded to block Räikkönen hard on the Kemmel straight. Verstappen’s reckless driving drew the wrath of many Formula One drivers. Verstappen received a polite warning from the F1 director, and the FIA later banned moving when braking.
Max Verstappen started fourth on the grid during the rain-soaked 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix and spun down the main straight. As the race progressed, Verstappen was relegated to 18th place after changing tyres, but still passed several cars to finish third, and he was praised for his determination.
Verstappen had to withdraw from seven of the first fourteen races of the 2017 season due to mechanical issues or incidents. He placed third in China, followed by fourth or fifth in the other five races.
Because of the Covid epidemic, the 2020 Formula One season was initially postponed, then shortened. Max Verstappen performed admirably in the 17 races of the 2020 Formula One season, finishing third behind Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas with 189 points.
He won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone and finished on the podium nine times in 2020, including six second-place finishes. Red Bull Racing has inked a contract with Max Verstappen to keep him with the team until 2023.