Max Verstappen is undeniably one of the most talented drivers to have graced the pinnacle of motorsport. He combines an incredible work ethic with his natural talent. He recently achieved 50 wins after another tantalizing performance at the United States Grand Prix. His entry into Formula 1 was fast-tracked by Red Bull’s chief advisor, Helmut Marko – a bet that has paid dividends!

However, the three-time world champion has had the advantage of having a former Formula 1 driver as his father, Jos Verstappen. But things were not all candies and rainbows for the young Dutchman, as his father was particularly tough on him throughout his upbringing, as revealed by the Dutch Lion recently.

The Red Bull driver’s documentary aired earlier this year, showcasing the hardship the 3-time champion went through because of Jos Verstappen’s strict behavior with him in their pursuit of Formula 1. While Verstappen’s father defends his ways of bringing up his son, there’s no doubt that it was a rough childhood for Max Verstappen. But diamonds are made under pressure, and that’s exactly what the Dutch Lion transformed into. But how did the F1 universe react to the same?

Fans think Max Verstappen’s father was just ‘too damn much’

Jos Verstappen reflected on his approach to raising the three-time champion, with Sky Sports, “the way I treated him was very strict and hard on him, but he needed that. You can ask him the question and he’ll answer the same. It was positive.” When growing up, Verstappen’s father was pretty harsh on the young man, expecting perfectionism at every turn. This pursuit of flawlessness had a significant impact on young Verstappen, who was made to sacrifice everyday things for the bigger picture.

Fans were not afraid to call out Sky Sports. They were vocal in their disappointment that the Italian department of Sky Sports was interviewing Jos Verstappen, painting his tough attitude towards Verstappen as a crucial factor behind his immense success. Trying to make him a tough character, Jos Verstappen would also make his son stay out on track for much longer than the other drivers during the winters. Some might call it tough love, while others have pointed to downright child abuse, naming his ways to punish Verstappen as ‘atrocities’.

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It’s an immense amount of pressure to become not just a racing driver but to make it to Formula 1. That’s a lot for any human being, but Max Verstappen was a thoroughbred racer. It was not just Jos Verstappen, but the three-time world champion’s mother too, who had racing in her blood. 

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Unfortunately, due to the intensity of motorsport and the amount of dedication it takes to reach the level that the Dutch Lion has, sacrifices had to be made. What made things worse was that Verstappen’s parents separated after Jos Verstappen was charged with assault. A user reflected on Jos Verstappen’s long but average career compared to his son’s dominance, alleging that his father wished to complete his unfulfilled ambitions through his son.

While his childhood has been a whirlwind of its own, fans don’t find it odd that Verstappen would agree with his father on the importance of the hardship that was meted out to him. As per the fan, often when a person is manipulated, they do not realize the gravity of the situation, they believe what is told to them. Fans speculated this is why Verstappen refuses to speak out against his childhood upbringing.

Another fan seemed to understand where Max Verstappen’s father came from in his disciplined approach. After all, the combination of a talented kid and a Formula 1 veteran is the recipe for success. But they sympathized with Max Verstappen, admitting that his father could have been a tad bit nicer to the boy.

To understand how much Verstappen is affected by his father’s words, a fan was quick to bring up the Istanbul incident from 2020. Verstappen had explained to the media that he would not use any head padding at the high g-force circuit. The reasoning went back to his Formula 3 days when his father would laugh at Verstappen’s use of padding to hold his neck straight.

Ultimately, while fans might point the blame at Jos Verstappen, the focus should be on Max Verstappen instead. A 24-year-old natural talent, he’s a gentle-natured family guy behind the menacing attitude he showcases on track. However, the majority of the fans did not seem to agree with Jos Verstappen’s comments of helping out by being harsh. They credited his son’s abilities to become the World Champion on his merit.

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He has conquered the pinnacle of motorsport, surpassed his father’s career, and has managed to build a little family of his own all at the same time. We might forget that he’s a stepfather to Kelly Piquet and Daniil Kvyat’s daughter, Penelope, and plays that role proudly. At his age, it’s more than just commendable how far Max Verstappen has come and everything that he stands for!