The Sunday Mail
Verstappen, a born racer ready to seize his chance
Formula One title contender Max Verstappen was born to race, hailed as a future world champion even before he made history as a 17-year-old rookie in 2015.
The 24-year-old Red Bull driver is now one step away from that coronation as he prepares for today’s season finale under the floodlights of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit.
Level on points with Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, the Mercedes great who is chasing a record eighth title, Verstappen leads 9-8 on wins.
That means he will become the first Dutch world champion by beating Hamilton or without scoring another point should the 36-year-old fail to finish in the top 10.
Belgian-born, Verstappen has been around the sport since he was a baby, on wheels almost as soon as he could walk and guided to grand prix greatness by the firm hand of father and former F1 racer Jos.
Verstappen senior took two podiums for Benetton in 1994 as a team mate to Michael Schumacher, and their families holidayed together.
Max’s mother, Sophie Kumpen, was a top go-karter who raced against future F1 world champion Jenson Button and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.
“Together Jos and Sophie built a baby which had the right genes,” his former F3 team boss Frits van Amersfoort told the BBC.
“And then after a while Max was programmed to be a race driver.”
Verstappen has set F1 records as the youngest driver, points scorer and race winner (at 18) and can become the first non-Mercedes driver to take the title since Sebastian Vettel with Red Bull in 2013. Even Hamilton saw the threat coming years ago.
“There’s always someone waiting to take my position. I’ve got that Max just sitting there waiting to take it,” he said in 2017 after securing his fourth title.
“You have got for sure a potential world champion within Max and he’s only going to get stronger with age.”
That long-awaited battle of the generations became real this season as Red Bull and engine partner Honda finally provided Verstappen with the car his talents demanded.
While he and Hamilton are in a duel of their own, they are also poles apart. — Reuters.
