Racing has been ingrained deep in Max Verstappen’s DNA, with both his mother Sophie and father Jos having raced in karts and F1, respectively. On top of that, his girlfriend Kelly Piquet’s family also has a rich motorsport history, with her father Nelson Piquet being a three-time world champion.
Earlier this month, the couple announced they are expecting their first child together. Given that the grandfather and father of the soon-to-be child have won seven F1 world championships between them, it won’t be surprising if racing is in the kid’s DNA. However, the 27-year-old isn’t keen on his child following in his footsteps and racing at the pinnacle of motorsport.
In a conversation on the Talking Bull podcast, the host Nicola Hume brought up the possibility of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner chalking out a contract for Max’s off-spring to join the Austrian outfit in the future. However, Verstappen is not a fan of this idea and has suggested an alternative for his child.
“I need to speak to Christian about that because I actually don’t want he or she to go into racing. Maybe a different role, maybe a different role in the team, maybe he or she can design future cars or whatever. I mean, you never know, right?”, he said.
The Dutchman may be reluctant to let his kid race because he understands the pressure a former F1 driver’s children face when pursuing motorsport. As the son of Jos Verstappen, Max himself had to deal with this pressure.
Verstappen on if his child wants to get into racing ️ pic.twitter.com/t5uoqb4fz8
— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) December 8, 2024
Considering Verstappen’s immense success — four world titles and 63 Grand Prix wins — he knows that if his son or daughter chooses a similar career, they will be constantly compared to him. This is not an ideal scenario for any child looking to make a name for themselves.
Verstappen is not willing to push his child into racing
Max started karting at a very young age of three or four, which is the custom in European countries for anyone interested in motorsport. His father Jos was quite proactive in shaping up his career and pushed him a lot to strive and be the best. This stern training under his father is what shaped the Red Bull driver’s relentless attitude.
Jos being a strict father and having the ‘tough love’ approach has garnered criticism but has also helped Max deliver some extraordinary performances on track. However, the 27-year-old doesn’t feel that he would want to do the same with his child.
In an interview earlier this year, he said, “If he or she wants to race and I see the potential, I would go for it. I would never actively push. You shouldn’t push your kids into something you like. They might not like it and all the effort is for nothing.”
Certainly, Max has his own views on parenting and how he would want to raise his child and groom his/her personality for whatever career the individual chooses. Still, it would be interesting to see if the Dutchman’s off-spring pursues a career in motorsport someday.
