Max Verstappen

Max Emilian Verstappen was born in Hasselt, Belgium, to Belgian mother Sophie Kumpen (a racing driver) and Dutch father Jos Verstappen (an F1 driver). Racing was in his blood from birth. He began karting at age four and proved to be extraordinarily talented — by fifteen, he was testing for Red Bull's junior teams and being compared to Ayrton Senna.

Verstappen made his Formula 1 debut with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) in Australia 2015, becoming the youngest driver in F1 history at 17 years and 166 days. Mid-season 2016, he was promoted to Red Bull and immediately won his debut race in Barcelona — the youngest race winner in F1 history at 18 years old.

After years of raw brilliance punctuated by aggressive overtaking that sometimes crossed into dangerous territory, Verstappen matured into a complete driver. The 2021 World Championship — controversially decided in his favor in the final race against Lewis Hamilton — was followed by dominant campaigns in 2022 and 2023. His 2023 season, winning 19 of 22 races, is statistically the greatest individual season in Formula 1 history.

Verstappen is defined by his aggressive, attacking driving style, his extraordinary car control in the wet, and his refusal to be intimidated by any opponent. At Red Bull, his partnership with chief designer Adrian Newey and the broader team has produced machinery that suited his instincts perfectly — creating a combination of driver and car that may be the most potent in F1 history.