Verstappen is in it to win it
At just 25 years old, Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen has already made his mark in the racing world, taking home the F1 World Drivers’ Championship two years in a row, in 2021 and 2022. Verstappen shows no sign of slowing down in 2023 as the racing season starts to ramp up.
The son of two racing drivers, many would agree that Verstappen has a “need for speed” in his blood. He began competing at the junior level in 2006 and, by 2014, had risen to the professional level, becoming the youngest driver in history to complete in an F1 racing weekend. By the end of the season the next year, Verstappen had taken the title of F1A Rookie of the Year, cementing his place in the racing world.
In 2016,Verstappen signed with Red Bull Racing, the team he currently drives for. Since signing, Verstappen has clinched several awards and championships and then dominated the 2022 racing season. Verstappen has taken that energy into the 2023 season, as he’s currently ranked the top driver in Formula 1 racing just a few rounds in.
Racing fans and experts noticed that throughout 2022,Verstappen’s style and skill were bumped to the next level compared to previous seasons. Some noted that winning the championship title in 2021 gave Verstappen a boost of confidence that worked its way into his driving. He found a way to be both energetic and relaxed, helping him win 15 races out of 22 and take home his second consecutive drivers’ championship.
Even though the 2023 season just started in March, Verstappen has already won two of the first four, taking the top spot in the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Australia Grand Prix and second in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. Currently, V erst a pp en has 93 points (six more than teammate Sergio Perez) heading into the coming races. Red Bull Racing has 180 points, leading the Constructor Championship standings ahead of teams Aston Martin (87) and Mercedes (76).Verstappen is slated to race in the Italian Grand Prix, with TSN providing live coverage on Sunday, May 21; and in the Monaco Grand Prix, which will air live on ABC Sunday, May 28.
Verstappen is a fan favourite worldwide — especially with his Dutch countrymen in the Netherlands. He was voted the most popular F1 driver in 2021 and consistently fills dedicated sections of Grand Prix grandstands with excited fans. If the 2023 season is to be anything like Verstappen’s last couple of seasons, fans will surely be in for a heart-racing schedule of races with Max Verstappen leading the way.
FACTS:
Full name: Max Emilian Verstappen
Birth date: Sept. 30, 1997 Birthplace: Hasselt, Belgium
Height/weight: 1.81 metres/72 kilograms
Teams: Scuderia Toro Rosso (2014-2016), Red Bull Racing (2016-present) 2023 F1 Race Number: 1 Honours and achievements: Dutch Sportsman of the Year (2016, 2021), Autosport International Racing Driver of the Year (2021), Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year (2022), Officer of the Order of OrangeNassau (2022)
Did you know: Even though Verstappen was born in Belgium, he also holds Dutch citizenship. Because he competes professionally with a Dutch racing license, he is considered a Dutch competitor. Verstappen speaks four languages: Dutch, Limburgish, German and English.