Max Verstappen has been the talk of the town ever since he broke onto the Formula 1 scene in 2014 as a 17-year-old with Torro Rosso (now AlphaTauri), the junior team of Red Bull.
Despite his tender age, he felt unfettered and made his rise up the ranks in no time. After impressing with Torro Rosso, he was promoted to the senior team in 2016 when he made his debut with Red Bull Racing.
Even though Verstappen had just joined the team, he went on to win the race and in the process, he became the youngest driver (18 years and 228 days) to do so.
Since then, the 25-year-old has gone on to break several records and has now also won two world championships (2021, 2022). While many fans are more than aware of Verstappen’s racing prowess, few know the story about his nationality and his upbringing.
Why did Verstappen choose Dutch citizenship over Belgium?
Max Verstappen was born on September 30, 1997, to Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen in Hasselt, Belgium. He also has a younger sister, Victoria.
Verstappen’s parents separated when he was very young, following which he chose to live with his father in the Netherlands. Meanwhile, his sister lived with their mother in Belgium.
Since Verstappen lived in the Netherlands for most of his life, he stated in an interview that he has always felt more ‘Dutch’ despite being born in Belgium. It is also this reason why he chose the Netherlands as his nationality rather than Belgium.
In an interview with Motorsport-Total.com, Verstappen explained, “I was born and raised in Belgium and went to school very close to the border. But after school, I always went straight over to Holland, where we had our workshop with all the go-karts.”
Even though Verstappen eventually decided to opt for Dutch citizenship, he made it clear that he was proud to be half-Dutch and half-Belgian.
When asked about the same, the 25-year-old said, “The Belgian side plays a big role in our family. And I like it that way.” He also discussed how the accent of both countries was very different, and how he would joke about the same with his parents.
Because of his Dutch and Belgian familial background and the proximity of the two countries, Verstappen receives plenty of support at both Grand Prix.
Also Read: Max Verstappen Parents: Everything to Know About Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen
Does Max Verstappen have any Dutch sponsors?
Considering Max Verstappen’s staggering rise in F1 over the past few years, there is no surprise that the Dutchman has several sponsors. Almost all of the brands that the 25-year-old endorses are also from the Netherlands.
One of the first brands that sponsored Verstappen was Dutch and Belgium supermarket chain Jumbo. The Dutchman signed a sponsorship deal with the company in 2016 and has also appeared in several advertisements for the brand.
However, uncertainty arose over Verstappen’s sponsorship deal with Jumbo when the company was reportedly being investigated for money laundering. Despite these concerns, it is believed that the supermarket chain still endorses him.
Another company that the Red Bull Racing driver is also sponsored by is the world-renowned Dutch beer company Heineken, which is also a global sponsor of Formula 1.
In 2018, Verstappen then also signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Dutch pay-TV channel Ziggo. Since then, the 25-year-old has appeared in several advertisements for the channel and has also appeared on the channel’s different programs.
Another Dutch company that sponsors Verstappen is the designer clothing company G-Star. Since becoming their brand ambassador in 2019, the Dutchman has appeared in multiple campaigns and advertisements for them.
Verstappen is also the brand ambassador for the Dutch used-car digital marketplace carnext.com, which is a subsidiary of LeasePlan Corporation. Since signing this deal in 2019, Verstappen has appeared in several awareness-raising campaigns for the brand.
Meanwhile, the other major non-Dutch brands that sponsor Verstappen are Red Bull, Swedish media and entertainment company ViaPlay and EA Sports.
Also Read: Christian Horner Says Lewis Hamilton Will Leave Mercedes in S*** If He Retires
