It is no secret Max Verstappen had a tough childhood and a strict upbringing. The Dutchman was more than privileged, as his father Jos Verstappen was an F1 driver. The former Benetton driver taught his son everything he knew and more with an iron fist. However, as the three-time champion comes of age himself, will he employ the same tactics? Will he use the same tried and tested method on his children?
Well, the simple answer is no. Verstappen wants to give his children a lot of freedom, especially when it comes to their careers. He revealed that while answering the question of whether he would train his son just like his father Jos trained him. As seen on X posted by user @SCUDERIAFEMBOY, he said, “I would advise him not to be a driver. Less stressful.”.
“would u train ur son just like ur dad?”
max: “id advice him not to. no, if he or she wants to race and i see the potential i would go for it. i would never actively push. u shouldnt push ur kids into something u like. they might not like it and all the effort is for nothing.” pic.twitter.com/MkNM905c9a
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) April 24, 2024
“Of course, if he or she wants to race and I see the potential, then I would go for it just like how my dad did with me. I would never actively push. You shouldn’t push your children into something you like. They need to come to you to ask them what they want to do. Otherwise, it’s never going to work,” Verstappen added.
An extremely mature reply from the 26-year-old who has experienced firsthand what it feels like to be pushed to the limit by his father. That’s exactly how he spent most of his childhood, being trained by Jos Verstappen.
Some even find some of the instances Max shares from his childhood troubling. However, in the end, the Dutchman himself does not have a problem with how he was raised. On top of that, he credits his father for his success.
Max Verstappen puts faith in his father’s questionable parenting methods
Max Verstappen has revealed many stories from his childhood. The most famous among them was the time when Jos Verstappen left him at the gas station. He did so after young Max did not perform to his father’s liking in a race. On a quiet ride home, when the youngster started defending himself, Jos lost his cool and asked him to get out and left him at a gas station somewhere in Italy.
“He kicked me out and he drove off … and this is in the south of Italy.”
Max Verstappen recalls when his father Jos left him at a gas station after a karting mistake at 14 years old and how it molded him into the man and world champion we see today. https://t.co/k9vFkiEbEy
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) May 5, 2022
However, instances like these shaped his career and made him the formidable driver he is today. That’s at least his belief. These harsh lessons as admitted by Max Verstappen and quoted by Planet F1, prepared him for everything the racing world had to throw at him.
He said, “He taught me from his own experience, so my preparation and testing was very professional. Plus, he already knew what was needed for Formula 1, so I was able to learn the basics as a child. That helped me a lot! Of course, sometimes I did question why he had to be so serious and strict all the time. But now I am grateful for it.”
And the rest is history. So, even though these methods won’t work on everyone, Max Verstappen is truly appreciative of them and are clearly working in his favor.
