Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen's mum passed on 'angry racer' streak to F1 world champion

Harry Smith Wednesday 19 April 2023 14:19 Updated: 15:32

Max Verstappen's mum passed on 'angry racer' streak to F1 world champion

Max Verstappen's mother, Sophie Kumpen, has revealed the personality traits passed on from her that have allowed her son to become a two-time Formula 1 world champion.

While Verstappen's father Jos' career as an F1 driver is well-documented, his mother's racing career has been less publicised.

Racing runs in Kumpen's family too, with both her and her brother competing in the karting circuit from a young age.

It's not only racing that Kumpen shares with her son with the 47-year-old prone to a fiery comment, as demonstrated after she levelled cheating allegations against Sergio Perez in the comments section of a Twitter post last season.

Now we can get a glimpse behind the curtain at what traits Kumpen has passed on to her world champion son.

Sophie Kumpen is rarely seen in the F1 paddock, instead watching the races from back home

'Special' Max

"A racer has to be a little selfish to want to win," Kumpen explained in Viaplay's recently released Anatomy of a Champion documentary.

"Outside of karting, I was a real girl.

"But when you made me angry while racing, I could be incredibly aggressive."

Kumpen also explained how Jos Verstappen's aggression rubbed off on his son as he developed as a driver.

"His father had this as well. If you combine all the good things about Jos with all my good qualities, you get to what makes Max so special."

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