Max Verstappen is known for many things.
He arrived to the Formula One scene as the youngest-ever driver at 17 years old before going on to be the youngest points scorer and youngest grand prix winner. Throughout his eight-year career, Verstappen has won 29 races so far, accumulating just over 1,800 points and 71 poles in that span.
Nine of those wins have come from this season alone as he leads the driver standings with 284 points, 93 more than second-place Sergio Pérez.
Verstappen, who hails from a racing family between his father being a former F1 driver and his mother coming from the karting world, became the first Dutch F1 world champion last season after edging past Lewis Hamilton in the final race of the campaign. And now, he can add a royal decoration to the list of accomplishments after being appointed Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau on Thursday ahead of the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix, something he says “was a special moment for me.”
But, Verstappen is known for more than just being a racing phenom. He’s a 24-year-old who describes himself as “very straightforward.” Cats and dogs are his favorite animals, and he’s not a fan of warm drinks or of books, saying he doesn’t “have the patience” for the latter.
Family is important to him, as evidenced by his helmet design for the Dutch Grand Prix that Red Bull described in its tweet as “a modern take on a Verstappen classic.” The Red Bull logo is still on the side but his father’s original logo is on the back while Max’s lion logo on the top.
Verstappen said in the unveil video, “It’s a bit emotional as well, but I think it’s just really special to drive something like this because it’s also how I started in go-karting; all the old pictures I have of go-karting is with this iconic design, so that’s why we thought it was a great idea to bring this back alive around Zandvoort.”
As F1 prepares for the Dutch Grand Prix, Sports Illustrated spoke with the Dutchman about returning home as a world champion, his favorite routine and his take on the age-old debate of cats vs. dogs.
IMAGO / ANP
Fuel for Thought is Sports Illustrated’s exclusive Q&A with Formula One’s biggest names. The following questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Sports Illustrated: What is it like coming home for a race weekend because it’s one thing to do it as an F1 driver but another thing as the reigning world champion?
Max Verstappen: I’m just really excited to see all the fans. They always deliver a great atmosphere. … So not only about the race, but they’re having a good time and it’s great to see. It’s a proper kind of party, I would say, like a proper event, a party event. It’s really cool. The track is also amazing to drive, and all of these factors just make it that extra special.
SI: And you’ve got a special helmet for this weekend. On the personal side, what does it mean to you?
MV: It means a lot to me. I used to start [with] my dad’s in go karting with that helmet design, looking up to my dad at the time with that helmet. So to bring it back for this race, I think it’s going to be a really nice touch, and my dad really is enjoying it for sure.
SI: Looking back to last weekend, what stood out to you about the Belgian Grand Prix that didn’t make the headlines?
MV: The first lap for me was very hectic in starting, and I was trying to stay out of trouble. Sometimes it looks a little easier on the feed than at the time. You really have to focus on not getting hit, not running into someone. … It was a hectic one, but eventually, of course, everything went well. That definitely stood out because the win was amazing and we had a great race. But initially, it was quite hectic.
SI: How do you stay calm, cool and collected when all that chaos is happening?
MV: I think lots of experience helps a lot. Over time, I’ve done already quite a few races now in F1, and knowing with things that have gone wrong in the past, it can help to try and make the right decision. I don’t say that you always take the right decision from now onwards, but you always try to at least take the right decisions.
SI: Looking ahead to this weekend, what should we be watching for at the Dutch Grand Prix? What part of the track is the most challenging and why?
MV: The high-speed corners around here—they’re really cool. But even the banking, you could do quite a few different lines around there in Turn 3. So that will be exciting to watch. I hope just a great race in general … and, of course, I would like to win. But we haven’t even kickstarted the weekend yet so we’ll see what happens.
SI: Even though you still have many years left in your career, how do you hope fans will remember this chapter of your story?
MV: As a positive one [where] we’ll have a lot of race wins. And this is not the end of, let’s say, good result. But at the end of the day in F1, that also depends a lot on your car. I mean I’m 24 years old. I hope that for at least another five, six years, we can be this competitive.
IMAGO / Eibner
SI: How would you describe the atmosphere within Red Bull this season?
MV: It’s good, but it has been good for a long time. But of course, naturally it’s even better when you’re winning races or fighting for a championship. I think we have a really good group of people who get along really well with each other, and everyone knows their place.
SI: What is one question you wish people would ask you and how would you answer?
MV (with a smile): I would rather people not to ask me questions. Yeah, I get too many questions. That’s the thing. So I’ll never be the one like, please ask me another question or a different question.
SI: Would you call yourself more of an introvert or an extrovert or somewhere like a hybrid in between?
MV: I think it depends a bit on the occasion, as well. You can’t always be introvert, but on the other hand, I’m definitely not, I think, extrovert. I like to be by myself, like just alone sometimes. But it’s good also to be around people so you have to find a balance. I think it’s not good to be both like to be either one; you have to find a middle way.
SI: And you have to find time to recharge the social batteries, too, especially with how much media y’all do. I don’t know how you do it.
MV: Luckily many of these things [are] about racing so they’re quite, I’d say, straightforward to answer. You get into a pattern every year. When you have a good car, good season, you answer about that. When you have a bad season, you have to answer more difficult questions about the race, and that’s fine.
SI: As an F1 driver, you have a lot of different routines, which also is human nature. What is your favorite part of any of your routines, whether it’s racing related or just something about you?
MV: Well, I like the Sunday morning routine because then it’s race day. You get ready to get out there and collect the points. That, for me, is the best day and also the most enjoyable to warm up because you know that you’re racing for something.
SI: In as much detail as you feel comfortable, what does your Sunday routine kind of look like? How do you get prepared leading up to when you get into the car?
MV: We still have quite a bit of things to do for the team, like to the Paddock Club. But once I’m back in my room, you get ready for the race with the warm up procedures, like your neck, your back, just general kind of things because I think it’s good to do these kinds of things to prepare yourself. You also get warmed up. Your heart rate goes up, and you naturally get into a zone. Besides that, I also like the strategy meetings with the team because then you know how the race is going to look like but what you are going to do [with] tires and stuff. Gives you a bit more of a bigger picture. And then you get ready to put your suit on, walk to the car and you jump in and get your helmet on.
IMAGO / Marco Canoniero
SI: What would you say is your happy place outside of racing?
MV: Home, just being at home. That’s as my happy place, especially because you’re traveling so much. It’s nice to actually be at home. Be around there, play with the cats—that kind of stuff.
SI: That answers my next question—are you a dog or a cat person?
MV: I’m actually both. I appreciate both because cats and dogs are so different, and I grew up with both cats and dogs. I think of course dogs are maybe a little bit more close to you in terms of they really come to you and they really appreciate that you’re around. Sometimes cats, they really don’t care what you do. They just do their own thing. But then they’re very athletic, and it’s really impressive to see them move. I like both.
SI: What kind of cat do you have?
MV: Two bengals.
SI: They’re pretty.
MV: Yeah, they have a good print, and they have a strong character, which I like.
SI: What are their names? And what are their personalities like?
MV: They’re called Jimmy and Sassy. Their personalities? Well, I would say the boy likes to be a little bit more on his own. He likes to just do his own thing. And the female sometimes can be a bit close to you, like [on] the couch or whatever, she comes too. She actually plays fetch like a dog so that’s quite funny.
SI: I used to have a dog that very much acted like a cat but still did like all the typical dog things.
MV: Yes so I have a cat which basically acts a bit like a dog, which it’s quite funny to see. And they like to be around me also when I’m working out. So it’s nice when you’re on the balcony and working out, the cats are like literally running around or sitting next to you or even blocking you to do a workout.
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SI: It’s got to make things a little difficult, or at least a little interesting. You just have extra weight.
MV: Yeah and I like animals. I grew up with them, and it’s nice to have some.
SI: What is your favorite animal?
MV: I think it’s cats and dogs. I appreciate, of course, other animals, but you can’t keep them at home.
SI: Are you more of a movie or a book person?
MV: I’ve maybe had two or three books in my life, so I don’t really read books. I don’t have the patience for it. So definitely movie.
SI: Then are you more of a movie person or a TV series person?
MV: That’s difficult. I don’t know. Sometimes I appreciate watching a series but then sometimes it’s nice to watch a movie so probably different times of the year. Probably in the offseason, a bit more like series.
SI: What is one TV show and one movie that you think everybody needs to see?
MV: TV show, I mean I like Game of Thrones. I thought that was really good. And movie can be either the Hangover movies or The Wolf of Wall Street. It needs to be a bit funny, you know?
SI: What would you say is your life mantra or is there a phrase that has stuck with you throughout your life?
