Who is Max Verstappen? Australia Grand Prix Disqualifier
Max Verstappen (born September 30, 1997) is a Dutch and Belgian racing driver who races in F1 for Red Bull Racing. Verstappen has four Formula One World Drivers’ Championship titles, all of which he won with Red Bull from 2021 to 2024, as well as 71 Grands Prix in 11 seasons.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Four-time world champion Max Verstappen crashed out of the first qualifying session of the 2018 Formula One season. Verstappen skidded when he braked for Turn 1 midway through the Q1 session, spinning out and bouncing across the gravel before colliding with the wall.
The Red Bull driver was unhurt, but the incident means he will start from the back of the grid in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix. When asked if he was okay over the radio, Verstappen replied, “The car just f—ing locked the rear axles.” Fantastic”.
Verstappen has already been an outspoken critic of F1’s new vehicles, which have resulted in a complex new driving style due to the sport’s concentration on battery management with its hybrid motors.
Who is Max Verstappen?
Max Emilian Verstappen is the older of two children born to Jos Verstappen, a Dutch former Formula One driver, and Sophie Kumpen, a Belgian former kart racer. His parentage and background qualify him for Belgian and Dutch citizenship; he currently lives in Monaco.
His first experience with motorsports began at the age of two, when he rode a quad bike at the family’s house. He progressed to karting at the age of four. He won his first race at the age of seven, and within a few years, he was racing in and winning national and European karting championships across multiple categories.
Verstappen’s parents separated and eventually divorced during this period. Verstappen lived with his father, whose approach to parenting and furthering his son’s career has been criticised in the past.
In the television documentary Max Verstappen: Anatomy of a Champion (2023), Verstappen’s father claims that he was stern and demanding because he believed that such an upbringing was required for Verstappen to achieve the pinnacle of his sport.
Verstappen began racing in the European Formula Three (F3) division in 2014, at the age of 16, after graduating from karting to open-wheel, single-seater auto racing. He won ten races, the most of any driver in the series, and in the middle of the season, he won six in a row, but he ended third overall in the F3 drivers’ championship, owing primarily to his failure to finish numerous races.
Verstappen and Red Bull struggled to maintain the pace set by 2024 F1 Constructors’ Championship winners McLaren at the start of the season, allowing the latter to clinch their second consecutive team title with six races remaining.
Verstappen’s individual performances, on the other hand, improved considerably in the latter half of the year, resulting in a three-way drivers’ title battle with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren.
Despite winning five of the season’s last eight races, including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the last day, Verstappen finished second in the 2025 F1 Drivers’ Championship standings, with Norris narrowly winning the title. Verstappen will be teamed with Isack Hadjar in the 2026 season.
Verstappen confirmed ahead of the season that he will run the number 3 on his car, as the FIA allowed drivers to alter their numbers before 2026, rather than his old number 33.
Is Max Verstappen Married?
The Formula One world champion, Max Verstappen, is currently dating Brazilian beauty Kelly Piquet. The couple has been dating since 2020, and their relationship was formally verified in 2021.
They had their first child together, a girl named Lily, in May 2025, and Kelly has another daughter, Penelope, from a prior relationship with retired F1 driver Daniil Kvyat.
Max Verstappen Net Worth
Max Verstappen’s net worth is expected to be around $210 million by 2025. He is the highest-paid Formula 1 driver, with a contract and bonuses worth around $76 million in 2025.
Furthermore, his commercial operations and investments add significantly to his riches, with some estimating that his net worth will reach $250 million by 2026.
Social Media
Instagram: @maxverstappen1