Max Verstappen may be one of the most recognizable names in motorsport right now, but there is more to him than just the four Formula 1 Drivers’ Championships and the ruthless on-track reputation they have earned him. From his order of chivalry title that royally outranks Lewis Hamilton’s, to being disappointed by his first ever go-kart and being inspired by a football legend, here are some things about the Red Bull driver that you may not have known.
Verstappen has a title that outranks Lewis Hamilton’s Knighthood
He may be Sir Lewis Hamilton officially, but Hamilton is not the only driver on the grid whose home country has conferred upon him a title. In 2022, Verstappen was appointed an Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau, a royal honor typically bestowed to those who have made significant contributions to the Dutch or international community, or who have accomplished significant achievements in their field. Others who have held this honor also include famed DJ Tiësto, and Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff (more on him later though).
At the time of his appointment, Verstappen had already achieved his first World Drivers’ Championship, and was well on the way to defending it. The honor was bestowed upon Verstappen by then-Minister of Sport, Conny Helder, who said to him, “It takes a lot more than just talent to become a champion. Many years of hard work, of pushing and persevering. With this you are a great inspiration to many. And in the end, as [the] first Dutchman ever, you drove to the Formula 1 world title. What an amazing achievement. With this you put the Netherlands on the map.”
Interestingly, Verstappen’s title outranks that of Hamilton, who is a Knight Bachelor of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). While Hamilton’s knighthood is fifth in rank among British titles, Verstappen’s Officer appointment is fourth among the Dutch titles. Nonetheless, both drivers have made significant contributions to both F1 and the motorsport world as a whole, and are worthy of the recognition such honors bring.
His first go-kart was too slow
Verstappen’s determination to drive fast started at an extremely young age. Despite constantly asking, his father, Jos Verstappen, told his then-four-year-old son that he had to wait until he was six to get his first go-kart. That was all fine and well until Verstappen saw another child who was driving a kart at just the age of three. The waterworks started, and they did not stop until Verstappen’s mother, former karting champion Sophie Kumpen, finally gave in and told his father to buy him a kart.
“I remember the day,” said Verstappen in a 2019 interview with F1 journalist Lawrence Barretto. “As soon as I woke up, I got my helmet on and sat there waiting for my dad to fetch the kart. I was so keen to drive.”
And indeed, after finally getting what he begged his parents for for months, Verstapped was out on a track that same day, driving his very own kart.
He quickly realized, however, that there was a rather disappointing problem…
“The kart was a bit slow,” Verstappen recalled to Barretto. For a child who was just eager to finally drive as fast as he could on a track that he described as ‘flat out,’ this must have been devastating. Thankfully, his parents were empathetic to this issue, and according to Verstappen, “after that day, we swapped [the kart] for another one!”
One of his only heroes isn’t a driver at all
Verstappen’s calling may be in racing, but it isn’t the only sport that he is passionate about. He grew up playing football with his friends and attending matches with his father, and to this day continues to follow the game. His team of choice is the Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven, whose games Jos would often be invited to and brought his son along to watch.
Having grown up surrounded by football, it is no surprise that a major source of inspiration for Verstappen is famed Dutch football player-turned-coach, Johan Cruyff. Verstappen has spoken in the past about reading multiple books about and by Cruyff, and the two met in 2016, during that year’s Spanish Grand Prix.
On the encounter, Verstappen said to the Telegraph, “I always find it difficult to judge someone if I haven’t met the guy before… To me, a hero can only be someone I’ve met or spent time with. I cannot admire someone if I’ve no idea of who he actually is.”
What he admires in particular about Cruyff was that he, “didn’t overcomplicate things,” which is very in-character for someone as direct as the Red Bull driver.
Verstappen is already taking a similar path to Cruyff, as he has been involved in the mentorship of several younger drivers. Most recently, he has spoken about working with Dries Van Langendonck, a 15-year-old Dutch driver who is part of Verstappen’s own racing team as well as being a McLaren development driver. Van Langendonck is getting personal guidance from the four-time World Champion as he strives for an F1 seat in the future, something that Verstappen has described as, “a very exciting project to be part of."
Want more surprising facts about this year’s F1 drivers and race tracks? Sign up for our newsletter for a bonus fact about Max Verstappen, and be sure to check out our other Speed Reads:
- How One Overtake Earned Liam Lawson a Red Bull Contract and More Facts About Him You Didn’t Know
- The Time Charles Leclerc Crashed Niki Lauda's Car and Other Stories About Him You Didn't Know
Images via Red Bull Content Pool
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