Jos Verstappen on passion for motorsport: 'Started at a very young age'

Published on 18 November 2024 by Misha van der Kroon

Motorsport is the core of Jos and Max Verstappen's lives. From karting to Formula 1 and sim racing to rallying, their passion for the sport knows no limits. Verstappen.com sat down with Jos Verstappen to explore the shared love for motorsport that defines both him and Max.

"The passion for motorsport began at a very young age," Jos recalls. "My grandfather owned a scrapyard, and I was always hanging around there. One day, a homemade kart turned up—welded together with a moped engine. I must have been about five or six years old. That’s really how it all started." By the age of seven, Jos had taken up karting, and his talent immediately showed. "It didn’t take long for others to see there was real potential," he adds.

For Max, the love for motorsport sparked even earlier than it did for Jos. "As a baby, Max was already playing with toy cars, and once he started to understand things a bit, he would watch Formula 1 on television. From a young age, he realised that I was a racing driver," Jos recalls. The desire to start karting also came sooner than expected. In fact, Max wanted to get behind the wheel earlier than Jos had planned. "I wanted to wait a bit longer before introducing Max to karting. In those early years, I thought it would be difficult for him to learn much, but he didn’t want to wait any longer." That wasn’t Max’s only hobby, though. The Formula 1 World Champion also played football for a while, "but that was more because his friends were doing it," Jos adds.

Max quickly showed his talent in karting, but a future in motorsport was never a certainty. "You never really know if you'll make it to the top. He was always in the running for victories, but whether you reach the top depends on many factors. You have to deliver the right results at the right times." Despite the determination of both Jos and Max, the joy of racing wasn't solely tied to winning. "I could be happy with a second place," Jos explains. "As long as he gave it his all, and if the equipment wasn't great or there were other circumstances, I was satisfied with a second place."

As of 2024, Max is a three-time Formula 1 world champion and is on the verge of adding a fourth title to his record. However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The 2024 season is the longest in history, with a staggering 24 races, meaning drivers are often away from home for extended periods. The long season and numerous commitments, Jos believes, could take away from the fun of the sport. "I can tell that the number of races in Formula 1 is becoming too much for many drivers, Max included. He's always been very outspoken about it. I think eventually, it does take the fun out of it. When I started, there were only about sixteen or seventeen races. Now, there are 24, and you can feel it with everyone—mechanics included—who are always on the road. Max is away even more because he also has to do simulator work and sponsor commitments. You can imagine how often he's away from home."

Still, a life without motorsport is not something the Verstappens are considering just yet. Aside from Formula 1, Max is also involved in sim racing, and Jos has discovered a new passion for rally driving. "My love for rallying came by chance. I was invited to drive a rally car at a small circuit, and it was immediately addictive." Under the banner of Verstappen.com Racing, Jos has also found success in rallying, recently winning the Rallye des Crêtes. He won't be venturing into another motorsport discipline. "What I have with rallying now is perfect for me. As you get older, you don’t get any faster, so I’m happy with what I’m doing now."