Max
Verstappen
Netherlands
·
F1
Date of birth | 30 September 1997 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Hasselt, Belgium |
Age | 28 |
Nationality | Netherlands |
Career start | 2015 |
Disciplines | Formula 1 |
Born in 1997 in Hasselt, Belgium, to former F1 driver father Jos and a mother, Sophie, who was a succesful kart driver, it wasn't long before Max Vertappen hit the race track himself and by 2003 he was karting regularly. By 2013, he had claimed the World KZ Championship and at just 16, Max made his debut in the FIA F3 European championship. He took the series by storm with an incredible six consecutive race victories and a third-place overall finish.
In 2015, Max made history when he joined Scuderia Toro Rosso (now Visa Cash App Racing Bulls), making him the youngest Formula One driver ever to line up on the grid. A year later, he moved to Oracle Red Bull Racing and raced alongside Daniel Ricciardo and 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. He wasn't finished there however. Max's consistency and skill saw him rack up more podium finishes in 2016, finishing fifth in the F1 Drivers' Championship despite being a rookie.
Max's rise continued, with a career-best fourth overall in 2018, followed by a third-place finish in 2019 after a series of spectacular performances and podium finishes all over the world. 2021 was season where Max went from a consistent podium presence capable of occasional giant-killing results to a bona fide world championship contender however and in the dramatic 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, he secured his first Formula One World Championship crown.
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 that 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. The Dutch superstar also set a new record for the most wins ever in a season, a staggering 19.
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 that 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 run.
Alongside his F1 success, Verstappen is also a brand ambassador for AlphaTauri, the fashion-forward team brand, further solidifying his influence both on and off the track.
Starting the 2025 season in a strong position as a four-time world champion, you can rest assured that Max already has eyes on title number 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