MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — If you`re expecting Max Verstappen to be stressed, anxious, or overly concerned about younger drivers challenging him, you`ll likely be waiting a long time. He simply isn`t behaving that way.
On a recent Friday morning, the 27-year-old four-time reigning Formula 1 world champion appeared calm and collected in the Miami Grand Prix paddock. Despite being a two-time winner of the race and holding 64 F1 victories, navigating photographers and fans, there was little indication he had just become a father. As he settled in for an interview, rumors of dissatisfaction at Red Bull – stemming from winning `only` one of five races this season and being `only` third in the standings behind Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who are only slightly younger – seemed not to faze him.
Instead, he presented as a racer in his familiar environment, but with a newfound clarity about his place in life.
“You just try to do the best you can. We are not the fastest team at the moment. We`re trying to be as competitive as we can be, but at the end of the day, it`s not going to change my life in any way,” Verstappen stated plainly, addressing the speculation about Red Bull`s perceived difficulties. His perspective contrasts sharply with the frustration expressed by team boss Christian Horner the previous day, who found the negative headlines difficult to comprehend.
In the highly intense world of F1, Verstappen`s understated approach is often puzzling to those around him, particularly when he`s dominating. It`s also confusing for the vast audience who consume the sport through races and reality shows and believe they understand the `real` Max. (He suggests they don`t, and adds he doesn`t care.)
Even now, when winning isn`t as effortless as it once was, his demeanor has become noticeably more relaxed.
“I come here, do the best I can, go home, do other stuff, then go to the next race, try to do the best I can and go home again,” he explained with a shrug. “So, for me, there`s not a lot of extra pressure or whatever. When I`m at home, I`m not actively thinking, `Oh, like I`m P3 in the championship, I need to do something!` Or `What can I do?!` Like, true experience over the years, you know what to do and what not to do. And just divide your energy also, a bit into other things, which you know that are also part of your life. Because at the end of the day, Formula 1 is not your whole life. It`s just small part.”
The immediate conclusion might be that this shift is due to becoming a father, with the birth of his daughter Lily instantly altering his perspective. Lily was born in Monaco earlier this week, his first child with longtime girlfriend Kelly Piquet.
But those familiar with him know better. Verstappen`s calmness isn`t new; it has always been a counterpoint to his aggressive racing style. However, even they have observed an increase in his understated tone, a trend that seemed to accelerate even before Lily`s birth.
Consider his response when asked how much longer he plans to race. He dismissed the idea of racing into his 40s like Fernando Alonso, currently 43.
“No,” Verstappen said, chuckling.
“I have a contract until 2028, so for sure until then, after that, it also just depends a bit on what kind of projects are around or not, if it`s interesting or not,” said the driver who also owns teams in other racing series. “After winning my first championship [in 2021], everything that comes next is a bonus, and that`s really how I see it.
“I will do it as long as I enjoy it and I can relate myself to the sport how I want to. As long as I enjoy it, really, that`s it. Enjoy it. And, you know, finding it OK to leave the family behind.”
He also demonstrated a willingness to praise championship contender Piastri, who turned 24 recently and has secured three victories this season. After finishing second to Piastri in Saudi Arabia, Verstappen commented, “He`s in his third year, and he`s very solid. He`s very calm in his approach, and I like that. It shows on track. He delivers when he has to, barely makes mistakes, and that`s what you need when you want to fight for a championship.”
Praising a direct competitor in a championship battle is uncommon among racers. It signals a driver who, not long ago was the young challenger disrupting veteran title fights, is now evolving into the seasoned veteran himself.
“When people ask me a question and I want to answer it, I`m going to answer it in my own way, and I`m always honest and open and quite direct, I guess. But that`s just how I am, you know,” Verstappen explained, deflecting the suggestion he`s become the wise elder of the paddock, but then sounding exactly like one. “I have a lot of respect for the young guys that also came into the sport, and Oscar is doing a great job, and I don`t feel like you need to try and hide that. It`s not a weakness. And also, for me, it doesn`t matter if you talk positive or negative about a guy. Like, it`s not going to change how I approach my race weekend anyway, right? But you know, you can hand out credits when it`s due.”
As a young driver who becomes a legend, you tend to remember those who treated you well early on, and perhaps more sharply, those who didn`t.
“You know, a lot of drivers that still are in a paddock or around the paddock, I think it`s nice, you know? When you build up a good relationship between the drivers.”
If this perspective sounds like a softer approach, a lack of killer instinct, it`s misleading. Hearing him speak, he still embodies the intensity of Max Verstappen, the third-winningest driver in Formula 1 history, trailing only legends Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, and Juan Manuel Fangio in championships.
The difference is, he now sounds like a man who has achieved what many in his field never do: a balance between work and life. We`ve witnessed him mature publicly, seemingly determined to find that perfect personal setup, just as he has meticulously tuned countless racing machines throughout his career.
“I`ve been thinking about that already, for a long time.”
