Jos Verstappen, a former Formula 1 driver and the father of three-time World Champion Max Verstappen, has played an outsized role in shaping the career of one of Formula 1’s biggest stars.
Known for his intense approach to both racing and parenting, Jos has left an indelible mark on the motorsport world. His journey has been tumultuous, but undoubtedly his biggest legacy is that of his son’s.
Here’s a look at Jos “The Boss” Verstappen
Jos' racing career
Jos Verstappen entered the racing world as a young karting talent from the Netherlands. His early success in European karting championships marked him as a driver with potential, leading him to Formula 3.
He won the 1993 German Formula 3 champion and the Formula 3 Masters series in the same year, which gave him his big break in to Formula 1. He made his debut with Benetton in 1994 as the teammate of Michael Schumacher, who was already showing signs of his legendary career.
He raced in Formula 1 for 9 seasons for a number of different teams, including Simtek, Arrows, Tyrrell, Stewart, and Minardi. Though he showed promise, his career didn’t see the level of success many expected, with only two podium finishes in his debut season.
He eventually left F1 in 2003, moving on to other racing series like A1 GP and Le Mans which he won in the LMP2 class in 2008. Despite never achieving sustained success in F1, Jos maintained a reputation as a tenacious driver.
One of his most memorable F1 moments was the fire during his pitstop at Hockenheim in 1994. This was one of the worst pitlane fires the sport had ever seen but luckily Jos escaped with only minor burns as the pitcrew very quickly put the fire out. Video here.
Jos' personal troubles
Outside of racing, Jos Verstappen’s life has been marked by a series of legal troubles that have shaped his public image. In 2008, Jos faced allegations of assaulting his ex-wife, leading to a high-profile court case in the Netherlands. He was found not guilty. Later, in 2012, he faced accusations of assault from a former girlfriend, resulting in another court appearance and a brief period in custody before the case was dropped.
In 1998 he got in to a fight at a kart track in Belgium and fractured another man’s skull. It went to court but an out-of-court settlement allowed him to avoid any jail time.
Marriage to Sophie Kumpen, Max's mother
Jos was married to Sophie Kumpen, a talented kart racer herself. Sophie’s own racing background is impressive; she competed against now-legendary drivers in karting, such as Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella, and her talent undoubtedly contributed to Max’s inherent racing ability.
The couple had Max in 1997, and their shared love for racing meant that Max was exposed to motorsport from a young age. However, their marriage was short-lived, and they eventually separated when Max was young. Both parents remained influential figures in Max’s life, and can be seen in the F1 paddock often.
Jos' tough love
Jos introduced Max to karting when he was just 4 years old. He had a strict regimen and high expectations.
A widely discussed example of Jos’s tough approach was the incident in which he reportedly left Max at a petrol station after a poor performance in a karting race. Frustrated with Max’s lack of focus during the race, Jos stopped the car, told Max to get out, and drove off, leaving Max to wait alone for a while before he returned.
This intense method underscored Jos’s commitment to discipline, though some saw it as overly harsh. Jos’s goal was clear: to prepare Max for the immense pressures of Formula 1 from a young age.
These strict methods sometimes created tension, but they also gave Max a competitive edge and resilience rarely seen in young racers. It is undoubtedly what has helped shaped Max to become the ruthless, bloody-minded driver that he is today.
Trouble at Red Bull
As Max’s career progressed with Red Bull Racing, Jos’s involvement had led to friction with the team, especially with Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner. Known for his strong opinions, Jos doesn’t hesitate to voice concerns when he isn’t happy with how things are going.
Tensions have reached boiling point in 2024, with rumours of massive disagreements between Jos, Christian, Helmut Marko and Red Bull’s Thai shareholders. This had led to talks of Max looking at other teams for the upcoming seasons.
Whatever we think we know about Jos, all we can really say is that he has helped shaped his son to become one of the fastest, most ruthless and most talented Formula 1 drivers ever.
