Tension in the Verstappen family: Max criticizes father Jos furiously for wrong decisions that influence the talents of mother Sophie and daughter

The Verstappen family, a symbol of unstoppable racing talent and determination in the motorsport world, is now at a break point. Max Verstappen, the four -time world champion Formula 1 that dominates the sport with its precision and aggression, has openly turned against his father Jos for the first time. In a rare emotional interview during the run-up to the Singapore Grand Prix, the 27-year-old driver expressed his anger about the choices that Jos made in the past. According to Max, those decisions have not only signed his own youth, but also seriously hindered the careers of his mother Sophie Kumpen and his sister Victoria. “I am proud of what we have achieved, but a price was paid that was too high,” Max said with a voice full of frustration. This confession not only shakes the paddock, but also throws a shadow over the legend of the Verstappen Dynasty.

To understand the core of this family crowd, we have to go back to the roots of the motorsport family. Jos Verstappen, former Formula 1 driver who raced between 1994 and 2003 for teams such as Benetton and Arrows, was a man of extremes. He achieved two third places in his career, but his name mainly lives on because of his ruthless approach in the upbringing of Max. From an early age, Jos pushed his son into the kart world, with methods that would later turn out to be controversial. In the documentaryMax Verstappen: Anatomy of a ChampionFrom 2023, Jos himself testified: “I was hard for him, but that was necessary to reach the top.” Incidents such as leaving a 15-year-old Max at a gas station in Italy after a bad race, or physical corrections during competitions, were defended by Jos as ‘Tough Love’. Max, who is now the father of the newborn Lily with partner Kelly Piquet, acknowledges that this discipline has shaped him into the champion he is. “I might not have won without that pressure, but it left scars,” he admitted.

Max’s anger, however, focuses not only on his own upbringing, but especially on the impact on the women in the family. Sophie Kumpen, Max ‘mother and a talented go -kart star from Belgium, was a sensation in the juniors. She raced against future stars such as Jenson Button, Giancarlo Fisichella and even Christian Horner, and won several Belgian titles. Her smooth driving style – a feature that Max would inherit later – made her a contender for higher classes. But after her marriage to Jos in 1996 and the birth of Max in 1997, Sophie stopped racing abruptly. Jos, who prioritized his own F1 career, expected that she was staying at home to raise and guide the children in their races. “He said it was better for the family,” Sophie recalled in a recent interview with Racingnews365. “But it broke my heart. I could have pushed to Formula 3 or further, just like him.” Max, who already felt this as a child, is now erupting: “Dad, you have stolen her dreams. Sophie was faster than you have ever been, and you forced her aside. That is not a sacrifice, that’s egoism.”

The criticism of Jos’ decisions extends beyond Sophie. Daughter Victoria Verstappen, born in 1999, inherited her parents’ racing blood. As a young kart talent, she showed promising results, with podium places in European championships. But just like with her mother, Victoria’s career was suppressed by family dynamics. Jos, who after his F1 years focused on coaching and rallies, pushed Victoria hard, but the separation of Sophie in 2008-a break loaded with accusations of domestic violence-disrupted everything. Jos was convicted in 2009 for threatening Sophie via text messages and violating a contact ban, although he denied having physically abused her. Victoria eventually opted for a life like influencer and mother of two sons, Luka and Lio, but not without regret. “I loved karting, but the pressure at home was too much,” she said in a podcast earlier this year. Max, who is always close with his sister, sees this as a pattern: “Victoria could have shine, just like Sophie. Instead, Dad offered us all to his vision of success. Furious? Yes, I have cost us talents.”

This eruption comes at a time when the tensions in the Verstappen family were already rising high. Jos’ presence in the paddock is notorious; He sows division with his sharp criticism of Red Bull team boss Christian Horner and the FIA. Last year he accused stewards of a conflict of interest after a punishment for Max in Mexico. Meanwhile, Max is celebrating his paternity with Lily, born in May 2025 in Monaco-a child with a unique DNA mixture: granddaughter of Jos, Sophie, Nelson Piquet and Sylvia Tamsma. But even here the inheritance sleeps. Kelly Piquet, mother of Lily and Stepmother van Penelope from an earlier relationship, has already warned about the intensity of the Verstappen genes. “Max is milder than Jos, but the racing blood cooks,” she joked.

Experts in the motorsport world respond to Max ‘criticism. Former F1 driver Jaime Alguersuari called Jos’ methods in a Marca interview “cross-border”, while Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko defends it: “Without Jos no Max.” Sophie himself remains diplomatic: “We have all made mistakes, but the family heals.” Yet the break can be felt. Victoria recently posted a photo of her children on Instagram with the caption: “Choose our own path.” And Max, who has his fourth title after Singapore, hinted on change: “I want a different way for Lily. No more sacrifices.”

This family dramation touches the core of motorsport: is success built on sacrifices, or on balance? The Verstappens, once an unbeatable trio, now face a choice. Jos, now 53 and still involved in Rallies, has not yet responded to Max ‘words. But sources report that a family conversation is planned for the winter break. For Max, who has always protected his mother and sister, this is more than a fight – it is a call for recognition. “Talent is not only for the men in this family,” he closed. Whether this tension strengthens or breaks the dynasty continues to wait. One thing is certain: in the world of the Verstappens racet racet racing just as hard as a Red Bull car.