Verstappen confirms 'bored' father not in Baku

Max Verstappen has admitted his father is taking a back seat now that he has secured a future at a top F1 team.

The 18-year-old stepped up from Toro Rosso earlier this year, won in Barcelona and has now secured at least two further years at Red Bull Racing.


So for the first time in Max's 27-race F1 career, his father and former F1 driver Jos is not in Azerbaijan this weekend.

"I talk to him quite a lot on the phone," Max told De Telegraaf newspaper.

"Because I'm with a top team now, he can do less during a grand prix weekend. At Toro Rosso it was necessary but now he's a bit bored," he added.

Max said his father is better off at home in Belgium with his two-year-old daughter - Max's half-sister - Blue Jaye.

"For me not a lot has changed," said Max, "because I didn't see my father a lot during a race weekend anyway. I'm busy with the engineers and in meetings.

"I was only talking with him in the evening at the hotel and in the morning on the way to the track," he added.

Verstappen said he has been travelling to grands prix with a group of F1 drivers on a jet organised by Nico Rosberg. The group includes Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Massa, Esteban Gutierrez, David Coulthard and others.

"It's convenient but also nice to form a bond with certain drivers outside of the race weekend," said Max. "We don't just talk about formula one: Felipe's son for example has just started karting, which is nice to hear about."

Baku, however, is not Red Bull's happiest hunting ground, as it is the Mercedes-powered teams expected to dominate on the two-kilometre straight.

"A couple of chicanes would be nice," Max smiled.

Replies (0)

Login to reply

AZ Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

AZAzerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Red Bull Racing
  • Points 3,420
  • Podiums 126
  • Grand Prix 232
  • Country NL
  • Date of b. Sep 30 1997 (28)
  • Place of b. Hasselt (Belgie), NL
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.8 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar