The Verstappen family writes history: Jos Verstappen speaks out about 17 -year championship dries after the dominant victory of Max Verstappen on the NLS on the Nürburgring De Fans yielded the best race ever in a Ferrari 296 GT3
The motorsport world is full of excitement now that the Verstappen family has experienced a historic weekend. Max Verstappen, the four-fold Formula 1 world champion, delivered a breathtaking performance by winning on his GT3 debut in the Nürburgring Langstrecken series (NLS) on the legendary Nordschleife. At the same time, his father Jos crowned himself champion in the Belgian Rally Championship 2025, with which he broke a drought of seventeen years. In an emotional interview, Jos expressed himself about that long period without title, a moment when the bond between father and son made it look even stronger. “It feels like a dream that finally comes out, but it was a hell long way,” Jos said afterwards.
It all started on the Nürburgring, where Max Verstappen was behind the wheel of a GT3 car for the first time on 27 September 2025. Not just a car, but the Ferrari 296 GT3, a machine that is known for its precision and brutal strength on the winding, 20.8 kilometer long Nordschleife. Together with his teammate Chris Lulham, an experienced GT driver, the duo dominated the ninth round of the NLS. From pole position to the flag, it was a master class in speed and strategy. They finished with a lead of more than a minute on the competition, a performance described by many as the best GT3 race ever on this circuit. Fans exploded with joy along the track; Some called it “the race of the century”, with Verstappen who drove the Ferrari to the limit through the infamous Flugplatz and the Karussell.
Max, who normally controls the Red Bull RB21 in Formula 1, consciously opted for this side step to show his versatility. “I always wanted to really race the Nordschleife, not just testing,” he said after the finish, with a grin on his face. The 27-year-old Dutchman had previously taken a testing under a pseudonym-Franz Hermann-to avoid the pressure, but this time it was full. The victory was not just a personal success; It also earned him a special license for the 24 hours of Nürburgring next year. “That is the big goal now,” Hintte Hintte, which stirs up speculation about his future outside the F1.
While Max won the GT3 Arena, Jos Verstappen was busy with his own triumph in Belgium. The former F1 driver, who won races in the 1990s for teams such as Benetton and Tyrrell, had not won a championship since 2008. Those seventeen years were filled with frustrations: crashes, bad luck and the eternal hunt for consistency in the rally world. But on the last weekend of the 2025 season he broke through. In the Belgian Rally, a mix of asphalt and gravel that fits Jos’ aggressive driving style perfectly, he finished with a large lead. “I did everything for it, trained night and day, but it just took too long,” Jos knows in an exclusive conversation with Dutch media. “Every defeat felt like a knife in the back, but Max ‘Success has always driven me. Now we are celebrating together – that’s the most beautiful.”
The parallels between father and son are striking. Jos pushed Max from an early age in the karts, an inheritance of his own wild F1 years, including that notorious fire in Hockenheim in 1994. Critics often spoke about the pressure that Jos put on his son, but this double victory shows the fruits of that upbringing. The Verstappen family, rooted in the Belgian-German border region with mother Sophie Kumpen as kart champion, has now added a page to motorsport history. It is the first time that an F1 world champion and his father have gained titles or big victories in different disciplines in the same weekend.
For the fans, Max ‘race was a spectacle in itself. The Ferrari 296 GT3, with its 600 hp V6 biturbo and advanced aerodynamics, seemed to be made for the Nordschleife. Verstappen passed rivals like a knife through butter, anticipatory on any compression and Apex. Even Timo Bernhard, five -time winner of the 24 hours of Nürburgring, was moved. “I got goose bumps. This is pure passion,” said the German, who followed the race from the sidelines. Online exploded the reactions: videos of the catch -up maneuvers went viral, with millions of views on platforms such as YouTube and X. “Best race ever in a Ferrari GT3,” tweeted a prominent fan account, and many appealed to him.
Jos’ reflection on his drought adds depth to the story. “Seventeen years … those are countless nights awake, doubtful to yourself. But rally is like life: you have to continue, learn mistakes and come back harder.” He praised Max’s role in it: “His F1 successes have inspired me. We talk a lot about racing, tactics, everything. This is our thing.” The champion rally driver also hinted on future projects, perhaps even a joint performance in an endurance race. “Who knows, father and son against the world.”
These triumphs come at a crucial moment for Max. In the F1 of 2025, Red Bull fights with reliability problems, and rumors about a Ferrari transfer in 2026 Gonzen. But on the Nürburgring he showed that he can win everywhere. The victory in the NLS was not only dominant; It was a statement of versatility. With 28 laps full of adrenaline, from the start to the Eifel rain that threatened, the duo kept the Ferrari dry and at the top.
The family bond shines through. Sophie, often in the shade, was present in Spa for Jos’ final and flew on to the ring for Max. “They are my rock,” said Jos. The weekend culminated in a family celebration, away from the cameras, with champagne and anecdotes from days gone by.
This marks a new chapter for the motor sports community. The Verstappens prove that talent is hereditary, but hard work is decisive. Jos’ words about the drought resonate with many: Volharding pays. And while Max focuses his visor on 24 hours, the world dreams along. History is written, but the story is not nearly finished yet.
