Early Life & Karting Max Emilian Verstappen was born on 30 September 1997 in Hasselt, Belgium. He holds dual Dutch-Belgian citizenship but races under the Dutch flag. He is the son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen and former kart racer Sophie Kumpen. He started karting at age 4 (after riding quad bikes at age 2) and began competing seriously at age 7. He dominated national and European karting championships, winning multiple titles with an aggressive, instinctive style. His 2013 karting season was particularly standout, launching him into single-seater racing.38615e Junior Formula Career 2014: Competed in Formula 3 (European F3), showing immediate pace and winning races despite limited prior single-seater experience. Joined the Red Bull Junior Team, which fast-tracked his rise. Formula 1 Debut & Breakthrough (2015–2016) 2015: Made his F1 debut with Scuderia Toro Rosso (Red Bull’s sister team) at the Australian Grand Prix — becoming the youngest driver ever in F1 history at 17 years and 166 days. 2016: Promoted mid-season to Red Bull Racing. In his very first race for the team (Spanish Grand Prix), he won from 4th on the grid after a multi-car crash at the start. At 18 years and 228 days, he became the youngest race winner in F1 history. He finished the season 5th in the Drivers’ Championship.d55ac6 Red Bull Dominance & Championships Max quickly established himself as one of the most talented and aggressive drivers on the grid. His breakthrough came in the hybrid era: 2021: Won his first World Championship in a dramatic, controversial season finale against Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi. Became the first Dutch World Champion. 2022: Dominated with Red Bull, securing his second title with a record 15 wins. 2023: One of the most dominant seasons in F1 history — 19 wins out of 22 races, another record. 2024: Clinched his fourth consecutive title (joining an elite group of drivers with four or more championships). Career Stats (as of mid-2026)