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Proud Son Max Verstappen Shares Christian Horner’s Humbling Experience: “Also Beat Him”

Published 10/14/2022, 6:32 AM EDT

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via Reuters

Max Verstappen turned 25 on 30th September and almost 10 days later, the Dutchman won his second Formula 1 world championship. However, the dominant fashion Verstappen did it in is signaling toward future greatness. Although, if we look back a little on Max’s family background, it seems he was always destined for it.

We’re all aware of Max’s father Jos Verstappen and his F1 racing career. However, Jos Verstappen was not the only racer in the family. Most are unaware of Max’s mother’s racing DNA. Max’s mother Sophie Kumpen is a former racing driver, and she was quite good at it too.

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Well, if you believe the words of Christian Horner, “she was a formidable racer in her time.” 

But how does the Red Bull boss and former racer know that? Apparently, he and Max’s mom raced each other back in the day. Moreover, Max Verstappen knows all about it as he made an interesting revelation during an interview.

When asked, “I also understand, in karting, she actually used to race Christian Horner, your team boss. Is that right?” He replied, “Yeah, she did, and also beat him!” 

The proud son made sure people know the winner of the race between the two before fans made assumptions.

Mother’s Faith Drove Max Verstappen to Success- Sophie Kumpen Reveals Special Ritual In Belgium For Championship-Winning Son

Talk about a family full of talent. We are all aware of Jos Verstappen’s influence on his son. However, Sophie Kumpen had a significant contribution as well in the making of Max and the driver he is today.

The contribution is significant as well, with Christian Horner revealing the talent Verstappen’s mother possesses.

Christian Horner talks about the incredible talent, Max Verstappen’s mother

Horner acknowledged the racing talent of Verstappen’s mother on the F1: Chequered Flag podcast hosted by BBC Radio.

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via Reuters

He revealed, “I actually raced against his mum, back in 1989. His mum, she was in the top 10 in the world at that time against some great drivers like Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella.”

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“But, she was a smart racer, and I think he’s got the aggression of his dad and you know, the racing head of his mum”

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WATCH THIS STORY: Max Verstappen Has Spent 25% of His Fortune on This Beauty – Have a Look!

There you have it, the answer to where Max Verstappen got it all from. He was destined for it all along.

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Written by:

Mahim Suhalka

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Mahim Suhalka is an F1 Author at EssentiallySports. This Sports Management post-graduate is an ardent supporter of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team and their lead driver, Lewis Hamilton. The fact that Lewis dominated one of the most expensive sports in the world for all these years, despite his humble beginnings, has been a huge inspiration for Mahim and has made him a tenured fan of the competitive sport itself.
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Edited by:

Ranvijay Singh