Born to parents from both nations, the triple world champion reveals why his upbringing, social ties, and personal identity led him to favor the Dutch flag over Belgium.
Max Verstappen grew up in Belgium, but drives for the Netherlands. How did that come about? Max Verstappen has been racing under the Dutch flag for many years; however, it could easily have been the case that, following a Verstappen victory, we might have heard De Brabançonne instead of Het Wilhelmus.
Verstappen was born on September 30, 1997. This did not happen in the Netherlands, but in Hasselt, a city with almost 80,000 inhabitants just across the border from Limburg. Max is the son of the Dutchman Jos Verstappen—a former Formula 1 driver—and the Belgian Sophie Kumpen, herself a successful and talented racing driver.
It therefore seemed almost predestined that young Max would also have the necessary racing talent running through his veins. When the youngster first got into a kart, Verstappen began his driving career at Karting Genk in Belgium. There he also immediately won the title in the mini category. He subsequently won several more titles in the Netherlands.
Fast forward to 2015: when a young Max made his Formula 1 debut at the age of seventeen, he did so as a Dutchman, yet there was still considerable controversy surrounding his nationality. The mother indicated at the time that Verstappen only had a Belgian identity document and with it he would also have registered in Formula 1 under his mother's leadership.
After scoring his first points at the Malaysian Grand Prix, his mother reiterated that Verstappen was being incorrectly identified as Dutch, insisting that he had earned his points as a Belgian. Later that year, his father, Jos, also weighed in on the ongoing debate regarding his nationality.
Then, at the age of eighteen, Max Verstappen had the opportunity to decide under which flag he wanted to race in Formula 1. For the four-time world champion, there was no doubt: he wanted to achieve his victories under the Dutch flag.
Max, who grew up primarily in Maaseik on the Dutch border, explained at the time that he essentially only lived in Belgium to sleep; during the day, he would go to the Netherlands, where his friends were. Furthermore, he stated that he was raised Dutch and that was how he identified.
Thus, Verstappen made his choice based on his affinity for the Dutch flag—a decision that has certainly not hindered his career. The 28-year-old driver has sparked a genuine "Verstappen craze" among passionate Dutch fans, and the "Orange Army" has become an indispensable fixture in grandstands around the world. Moreover, thanks to his success, the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort returned to the calendar. A Dutchman to be proud of.
