We often stop cherishing our childhood once we grow up. It is only at certain moments when one sits back and goes through the memory lane. A father’s tough love is one of those moments that brings tears to one’s eyes. Back then, it hurt the heart only for us to realize it made us what we are now. Max Verstappen, despite being a 3x World Champion, has a similar tough love story to us. Only recently has Verstappen’s father let go of the tough love to declare his son the Superman of F1. 

In 2015, Max Verstappen became the youngest driver to debut in F1. The Dutchman didn’t even have a regular driver’s license but was eligible for a super license. And within a year, he showed the world his capabilities and moved on to drive for Red Bull in 2016. While many criticize Jos Verstappen for being hard on Max in his childhood, it was probably the tough love that made the 3x champion capable of winning all those championships.

Jos Verstappen advised on how he realized that to be successful in F1, one has to really work hard. Jos realized what it took and hence trained and nurtured his son in such a way that he would be able to take on whatever was thrown his way. While we agree leaving Max Verstappen at a gas station was a bit extreme, it probably helped develop the mindset of anything less than perfection not being enough.

Now that Max Verstappen has 3 championships to his name and seems to be the one to break most of the records in the future, his father has let go of the tough love and is going to let his son’s performances speak for themselves. However, being a proud father, Jos couldn’t resist and praised Max Verstappen. Verstappen Sr spoke about on how he never gave his son enough laps to get acclimatized to a track. This meant the Dutchman had to learn and pick up things in a limited time. 

Explaining this tough love behavior, Jos Verstappen told Formule1.nl, “Back in the day, as a little man. I never gave him ten laps to get used to the track. No, I gave him two laps and then there had to be a time. That’s something he’s very good at. You used to see it in karting. The first lap after the start, then the tires are a bit colder. Max was always, really always, at least a second ahead of the rest. That’s the feeling, you can train that. And what he does on the side with the simming and you name it: that’s how it’s grown.”

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Jos Verstappen concluded how this trait has now made him invincible in the car. He said, “When he was seven, I knew that was important. Now he’s almost like Superman, the way he’s in that car.” While Jos Verstappen likes the dominance that his son showcased in 2023, he advised on his son having competition in the future. 

Jos Verstappen wants more competition for Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen dominated the 2023 F1 season all by himself. Teammate Sergio Perez didn’t even come close to challenging the Dutchman. Verstappen’s points alone were enough for Red Bull to win the championship. Nobody likes to see dominance like this, not even Verstappen’s father, who wished for his son to have more competition in the future. 

Speaking with Planet F1, Jos Verstappen said, “Of course, we want to win the races but I also like him fighting and then running away with a win, or maybe just not. I think everybody wants to see that. I’m a fan of the sport, I’m a fan of Formula 1. Of course, it’s nice to win 18 or 19 races in the season. But, to win the championship as he did in 2021, I also enjoyed it after all.”

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