Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, is known for his intense and demanding approach to racing, and one of the most striking examples of his tough-love parenting was the way he pushed Max to “toughen up” during his early years in motorsport.
Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, is known for his intense and demanding approach to racing, and one of the most striking examples of his tough-love parenting was the way he pushed Max to “toughen up” during his early years in motorsport. According to Max, his father subjected him to a series of physically demanding and sometimes painful tests designed to build resilience and toughness. One of the most notorious methods was forcing Max to place his fingers on a car’s exhaust pipe while it was hot.
This practice was intended to help Max develop not only physical endurance but also mental toughness. The extreme heat from the exhaust would be painful, teaching Max to endure discomfort and stay focused under pressure. Jos Verstappen’s philosophy seemed to be that a racing driver must be able to withstand intense stress and physical hardship, especially given the extreme conditions of Formula 1.
Though some might see such methods as harsh, Max has often credited his father for helping him build the mental and physical fortitude that has made him one of the toughest competitors on the F1 grid today. The discipline instilled by Jos, combined with Max’s natural talent, played a key role in his rise to the top of the motorsport world.
