Jos Verstappen

World titles, wins, pole positions, and numerous podiums: Max Verstappen has achieved considerable success in his Formula 1 career, but also in lower racing classes. This is partly due to the support of Red Bull Racing but also thanks to his mentor: his father, Jos Verstappen. The racing genes of the Limburg native have certainly been passed down to Max!

Just like his son Max, Jos started his racing career at a young age, initially with karting. In 1984, he won the Dutch junior championship, and European titles followed soon after. The team with which Max Verstappen would later compete in Formula 3, Van Amersfoort Racing, was also where Jos did his first laps in Formula 3. He won the German championship in that series, as well as the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort. A move to Formula 1 followed shortly after.

Initially, Jos was just a test driver at Benetton. However, due to the crash of regular driver JJ Lehto before the start of the season, Jos was asked to step in alongside Michael Schumacher for the first two races. In the first race, Jos was involved in a collision and finished with a DNF. In the next race, more misfortune struck as the Dutchman lost points after a mistake in the pit stop. From race three in 1994, Lehto returned to his seat, but the Finn could not regain his form. After the Canadian Grand Prix, Jos took over the seat once again.

P8 in Britain marked the first race in which Jos actually finished, although still without points. In Germany, no points were added, but there was a terrifying moment when, during refueling, the fuel hose detached and sprayed fuel across the car, causing it to catch fire. Miraculously, Jos only suffered minor burns, but the images of the firestorm are burned into many people's memories.

A reward for his hard work came one race later when Jos finished third in Hungary. A race later, he achieved another P3 after teammate Michael Schumacher was disqualified. However, the results were not enough to keep his F1 seat, and after the European Grand Prix, Jos was let go by the team.

Jos’s F1 career was turbulent, marked by team changes and financial struggles. After a short stint at Simtek, which quickly went bankrupt, he moved to Footwork, where he scored only one point in the 1996 season. He then switched to Tyrrell, but after the team was taken over by British American Tobacco, he was replaced by pay driver Ricardo Rosset, which also led Ken Tyrrell to leave the team. Jos then found himself with few opportunities, including a brief spell at Stewart, but without much success.

Despite an initial deal with Honda as a test driver in 1999 and hopes of becoming a driver for the new Japanese factory team in 2000, Jos was ultimately disappointed when Honda decided only to supply engines. He moved to Arrows and ended his career at Minardi in 2003. With a total of 17 points, he became the most successful Dutchman in Formula 1, until his son, Max Verstappen, surpassed him with his impressive performances at Red Bull Racing.

Since 2022, Jos Verstappen has been active in rallying. He has participated in various rallies across Europe, including in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Great Britain. In particular, he has enjoyed success in rally driving in Belgium. Verstappen competes for Verstappen.com in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 car, alongside co-driver Renaud Jamoul.

Jos Verstappen has four children. He has a son, Max Verstappen, and a daughter, Victoria Verstappen, with Belgian Sophie Kumpen. Later, he had a daughter named Blue Jay with his second wife, Kelly van der Waal, and in 2019, he had a son, Jason Jaxx, with Sandy Sijtsma. Jos has two grandchildren: in 2020, his daughter Victoria gave birth to a son, Luka, and in 2021, to a son, Lio. In 2024, she is expecting her first daughter, making Jos a grandfather for the third time.

The exact net worth of Jos Verstappen is unknown. The former F1 driver lives in Belgium, and financial figures are not publicly available there. Estimates range from €8 million to €20 million. His son Max’s wealth is known: according to Quote, the three-time world champion has an estimated net worth of approximately €150 million. In 2022, Max was the youngest entrant in the Quote 500 with a net worth of €120 million.