Max Verstappen won the F1 World Championship in 2021. He looks set to grab another world championship this season. It takes a lot of hard work, grit, and perseverance to get where Max is today. But it is not a one-man job.

A lot of sacrifices and compromises built the foundation on which Max Verstappen built his career. These came from those behind the scenes. The heroes behind his success are his family. One of those heroes is Sophie Kumpen, his mother.

Sophie was a budding young driver with dreams to make it in Formula One. She started her career with karting at the age of 10. By the age of 21, she had done exceedingly well. But she had to make a difficult choice.

Her husband, Jos Verstappen, as we all know, was an F1 driver. So eventually she had to leave racing to support her husband, and later her son.

She said “I wanted to go to F1, I’ve tested some race cars, then I married Max’s dad and I had to make a choice… He was driving F1, in that time we were a way so much. So, I gave up my dream but now I see my son realizing what I ever wanted to do and I enjoy it as much!”

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She has no regrets. She is proud of who Max is today. “I’m so proud to be their mother [Max and his sister, Victoria] ! Max, of course, because he achieved his dream.” 

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Verstappen may no longer be racing in junior circuits. But F1 is a grueling sport. Kumpen makes sure that he has the support that he needs.

Sophie, speaking to the Dutch Heroes magazine, said “He came to my house a few days later and was completely exhausted. He was mentally exhausted and just wanted to be at home. I made his favorite food and we enjoyed a few quiet days together.”

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She further adds, dissipating the public image Verstappen maintains, “His critics often say that Max is an aggressive driver and therefore also an aggressive person. I find that strange.”

“If you know Max, you know he has a big heart and that he enjoys being good to others. But, as I said, when you put the helmet on, you become a completely different person.”

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Elite sports look glamorous from the outside. It is easier to see only the victories, the fame, and the glory. But the reality is far more complex. It requires sacrifices and compromises. And in times like those, support is what gets them through.