Max Emilian Verstappen (Dutch pronunciation: [mɑks eːˈmilijɑn vɛrˈstɑpə(n)]; born 30 September 1997) is a Belgian-Dutch racing driver who competes under the Dutch flag in Formula One with Red Bull Racing. At the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, when he was aged 17 years, 166 days, he became the youngest driver to compete in Formula 1. He holds eight other "firsts" in Formula One racing.
After spending the entire 2015 season with Scuderia Toro Rosso, he started his 2016 campaign with the Italian team before being promoted into Red Bull Racing after 4 races as a replacement for Daniil Kvyat. He won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix in his debut race for Red Bull Racing at the age of 18, becoming the youngest-ever winner of a Grand Prix and the first racing under the Dutch flag. He is the son of former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen.
Family and personal life
Max Emilian Verstappen was born on 30 September 1997 in Hasselt, Belgium. His family has a long association with motor sports: his father, Jos Verstappen, is a Dutch former Formula One driver, his Belgian mother, Sophie Kumpen, competed in karting, and his second cousin, Anthony Kumpen, competed in endurance racing and is a two-time NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion and currently serves as the team manager for PK Carsport in Euro Series.Although Verstappen has a Belgian mother, was born in Belgium and resided in Bree, Belgium, he decided to compete with a Dutch racing licence because he "feels more Dutch", spent more time with his father than with his mother owing to his karting activities, and was always surrounded by Dutch people while growing up in Maaseik, a Belgian town at the Dutch border. He competed in Formula One for more than half a season before obtaining a road driver's licence on his 18th birthday. Verstappen has lived in Monaco since October 2015, claiming it was not for tax reasons.
