Why Max Verstappen won’t ever follow his father Jos into rallying

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has vowed to never compete in rallying.

Verstappen has a keen interest in racing in series outside of F1, and has already made a winning debut in GT3 sportscars last year. Motorsport flows in the Verstappen family’s blood, with his father also an F1 driver, while his mother, Sophie Kumpen, had a highly successful career in karting.

But the 28-year-old Dutchman has ruled out the prospect of ever following in the footsteps of his father, Jos, by turning to rallying after his F1 career is over.

Jos Verstappen, who raced in F1 between 1994 and 2003, currently competes in the European Rally Championship as a privateer.

“It's pretty crazy to be honest. What I find really impressive is that he's 53 years old now, almost 54, and he's racing against guys that are what, late 20s, early 30s," the Red Bull driver told the Up To Speed podcast.

“In some championships, he's beating them. And, of course, in rallying, a lot goes through notes, but at the end of the day, when you do a certain rally a few times, you go off muscle memory a little bit. So if you do it for a few years, you get better at it naturally.

"He's very good at it, to be honest. He loves it. He's very hard to beat. When we go on to - like - let's say you rent a little space on an airport and they set out a track and then you drive together, like honestly, I have to go flat out to beat him on a lap.

"And that I like doing. But on a proper stage, and he shows me all the videos that he's doing in whatever kind of rally car that he's driving, and I mean I find it really impressive.”

Verstappen, who became a father last year, simply admitted he is not willing to take the risks that come with rallying.

"I think it's really cool, but I just think about if I make a mistake and I hit that tree, I mean the tree is not moving. That, for me, is my limit. That, for me, is something that I don't want to do. It's just too high of a risk,” he explained.

"And I know that sounds maybe a bit silly, but in Formula 1 at least or most of the time, when you crash, there is a barrier, like a properly designed barrier that should absorb the impact a bit more.

“It's a bit different in my head at least. It's just a risk that I'm not willing to take, but it is really cool to see."