Sophie Kumpen

Racing career Sophie Kumpen

There is no denying that Max Verstappen comes from a real racing family. Everyone knows that his father, Jos Verstappen, was a Formula 1 driver, but his mother was also active in racing. Sophie showed her racing skills in karts and she has also been a racing driver in the world championships of Formula A, K, Super A classes.

When Sophie was 11 years old, she got into her kart for the first time and raced against famous drivers such as Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Jenson Button and Nick Heidfeld.

Kumpen says she was always told that her driving style was very fluid and that she set consistent times. Max Verstappen is said to have inherited this from her, she says in an interview.

Her biggest victory was in 1995. Kumpen won the Andrea Margutti Trophy.

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard and former team boss Eddie Jordan mentioned Sophie Kumpen's name when the conversation turned to which woman could have made it to Formula 1. Kumpen did not make it to Formula 1, however, but according to Jordan, she had certainly had potential in her racing years.

Sophie stopped racing when Max and his sister Victoria were born so she could take care of them. However, she appeared on the track once more in 2013 during the Formido Swift Cup, but unfortunately this ended in a crash, in which she broke a vertebra.

Mother of Max Verstappen

In 1997, Sophie Kumpen became mother to Max Verstappen and two years later, in 1999, daughter Victoria Verstappen was born.

Sophie Kumpen is very proud of her son. For instance, she was ecstatic when he won his first world title in 2021 after a thrilling battle with Lewis Hamilton. Despite Max's experience now, she admits she is still nervous when Verstappen gets into his Red Bull.

Marriage with Jos Verstappen

Sophie Kumpen married former Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen in 1996. This marriage lasted for 12 years. In 2008, Sophie and Jos decided to get a divorce.