Max Verstappen’s name has become synonymous with Formula 1 racing over the past few years. The Dutch driver has established himself as one of the sport’s top talents, thrilling fans with his impressive driving skills and fearless approach to racing. But behind every great athlete, there is often a story of dedication, perseverance, and hard work. In Max’s case, that story belongs to his father, Jos Verstappen.
Johannes Franciscus Verstappen, also known as Jos Verstappen was born on March 4, 1972, in the small town of Montfort, Netherlands. From an early age, Jos had a passion for racing and quickly made a name for himself in the world of karting. He won the Dutch National Championship at the age of 16 and was soon signed to a contract with the Van Diemen team.
62) Jos Verstappen 🇳🇱 #F1
— Motorsports in the 2000s (@CrystalRacing) April 14, 2023
Drove for Arrows and Minardi in the final 3 seasons of his career
Father of Max pic.twitter.com/mnnctG5V28
Jos’s talent and dedication earned him a spot in Formula 1 in 1994, where he joined the Benetton team. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first championship points in the Belgian Grand Prix that same year. Jos continued to race for various teams over the next few years, including Simtek, Footwork, Tyrrell, and Arrows.
Having participated in 107 Grand Prix races, Verstappen achieved his highest starting position of sixth place in the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix during the qualifying session. He managed to secure two podium finishes during his career, both third-place finishes in 1994. To this day, he remains the second-most successful driver from the Netherlands in Formula 1, with his son Max being the only one to surpass him.
Jos Verstappen and his career in F1
Jos Verstappen began his career in karting in 1980 when he was eight years old, and continued to race karts for 12 years, winning several championships in the process. His talent soon caught the eye of Dutch team owner Frits van Amersfoort, who gave him a chance to drive a Formula Ford Crossle at Zandvoort.
The Dutchman’s impressive performances led to an F1 test with Footwork in late 1993, and he set a time that would have placed him 10th on the grid at the weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix. He signed as a test driver for the Benetton-Ford F1 team for the 1994 season, and made his Grand Prix debut at Interlagos 1994, filling in for JJ Lehto.
Jos Verstappen paired up with Lehto in Italy and Portugal when Michael Schumacher served a two-race ban, but it wasn’t enough to keep his seat full-time.
Marlboro press event Silverstone 1992 with three young Dutch racing talents Marcel Albers, Peter Kox, Jos Verstappen. pic.twitter.com/9a6U0DQ3Gw
— Jonn van Stiphout (@Jonn65) August 20, 2021
Senior Verstappen found himself unemployed after his team, Tyrrell, sold up to British American Racing (BAR) at the end of 1997, and sponsors BAT chose Ricardo Rosset over him. He tested with Jordan and Benetton before being called up to replace Jan Magnussen after the 1998 Canadian Grand Prix.
Jos signed up with Honda and technical director Harvey Postlethwaite in hopes of making a comeback in 2000, but any chance of an independent entry disappeared when Postlethwaite suffered a heart attack.
Jos Verstappen was kept on standby by Jordan in 1999, but Damon Hill chose to see out the season, leaving him without a team once again. He struggled with the team’s lack of competitiveness and reliability and eventually retired from F1 in 2003. Despite his mixed success in F1, Jos Verstappen is remembered as a talented driver who showed promise from a young age.
Jos Verstappen: Max Verstappen’s full-time coach
In 1996, Jos Verstappen tied the knot with Sophie Kumpen, a former karting champion. A year later, the couple welcomed their son, Max Verstappen. It was evident from a young age that Max had a keen interest in motorsport and karting, and his father, Jos, took a hands-on approach to raising him and mentoring him to become a racing driver.
Max and his father Jos share a moment after winning the World Championship.
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) December 12, 2021
They’ve been on quite a journey together 🧡 pic.twitter.com/QMS8OAghWg
Jos was a tough mentor, and he wasn’t afraid to punish Max for falling short of expectations. One example of this was when Jos left his 15-year-old son at a petrol station in Italy after a careless crash cost him a karting title. However, Jos eventually circled back to collect his son, and the pair drove the 1800 kilometers home in complete silence. Despite his tough approach, Jos was dedicated to his son’s racing career.
Senior Verstappen would drive Max around Europe, covering up to 100,000 kilometers a year, in order to get to all the karting events he was entered into. Jos imparted years of knowledge onto his son, and he believes that Max has taken his advice on board, combined with his own talents and Red Bull’s influence, to become a far more rounded driver than he ever could have been.
Today, Max Verstappen is a force to be reckoned with in the world of motorsport, and his father’s dedication and guidance have undoubtedly played a significant role in his success. When accused of being a harsh father, Jos defended himself by saying “People say I was a bad father who abused my child, I never abused him. I raised him. I was hard on him and that was my plan. Many have no idea what it takes to reach the top in a sport.“
Jos Verstappen getting caught up in the Sergio Perez celebrations 😅 pic.twitter.com/R8vXNNQ4Cw
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) March 19, 2023
Jos Verstappen’s inspiring story is a reminder that success in Formula 1 is not achieved overnight. It takes dedication, perseverance, and a never-say-die attitude to reach the top of the sport. Jos Verstappen has been on the news for all the wrong reasons recently for being evidently upset about Sergio Perez’s success at the Saudi Arabia GP. Although Jos’ career may not have been as illustrious as some of his peers, his impact on the sport cannot be underestimated and remains an inspiration to both Max and racing fans worldwide.