Praise was forthcoming from former F1 champions and team bosses
MAX VERSTAPPEN could have been following a Formula One legacy crafted by his mum.
The Dutchman was crowned a four-time World Champion during the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen’s mum Sophie Kumpen was a champion in kartingCredit: Instagram @sophiekumpen
Christian Horner believes she was among the best ten drivers in the world
She gave up her dream of racing in F1 to raise Max and sister VictoriaCredit: Instagram @sophiekumpen
After marrying Jos Verstappen in 1996, Kumpen gave 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to Max in 1997
His father, Jos was an F1 driver, but Verstappen’s mum, Sophie Kumpen was also a champion in karting and could have been a motorsport great in her own right.
That is the view of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who made a stunning claim that she was even among the “top ten drivers in the world”.
As quoted by Marca, Horner said: “I competed against her in 1989, in the Junior Karting World Championship.
“In that race, there were very talented drivers, such as Jan Magnussen, Jarno Trulli, Giancarlo Fisichella or Dario Franchitti.
“And she was among the top ten drivers in the world, without a doubt.”
Eddie Jordan is also a huge advocate of her talents and insists she should not be forgotten in the conversation when people speak about Verstappen’s racing tutelage.
Speaking to the On the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan said: “Don’t forget that it’s not all about his [Verstappen] dad [Jos], who drove for me as well, but his mother actually is just the best at karting.
“She was absolutely an institution. She was amazing.”
And it isn’t just F1 team bosses who Kumpen, 50, commands the respect of, with 2009 world champion Jenson Button also heaping praise on her.
He said: “Sophie, Max’s mother, was a fantastic driver.
“When I was racing karting in 1995, she was my partner. I saw how she drove, I know she was very good.”
Belgian-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 Kumpen started her career in racing at the age of 11 and was the national champion of karting at the age of 16 competing against men.
She also finished ninth in the world championships of the Formula A category.
But it is her 1995 victory in the Andrea Margutti Trophy, where she beat F1 cult hero Trulli, that stands as the highlight of her career.
However, Kumpen quit racing at the age of 21 after getting married to Jos in 1996 before having two 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren together, Max in 1997 and Victoria in 1999, and deciding to prioritise raising them over her motorsport career.
Speaking to Marca, she reflected on how the difficulties of being a wife and mother and the logistics of travelling so much meant she had to give up on her dream.
She said: “I wanted to get to Formula 1. I had already tried some cars, but I married Max’s father and I had to make a decision.
“He was an F1 driver and we travelled a lot.
“So I gave up on my dream, but now I’m having a lot of fun seeing that my son is doing what I wanted to do.”
Verstappen himself has even spoken about his mother’s racing career when in conversation with Horner.
After Horner said “she was very good,” Verstappen cut him off to say: “But then she got married to my dad.”
Kumpen and Jos stayed married for 12 years before they got a divorce.
While Kumpen never made it to F1, she did return to the track in 2013 once more in 2013 during the Formido Swift Cup.
However, her return ended in a crash resulting in a broken vertebra.
Kumpen gave up her racing career to raise Max and sister Victoria
She said she is having fun seeing Verstappen do so wellCredit: Instagram @sophiekumpen
Kumpen beat F1 cult hero Jarno Trulli in her karting career
Kumpen returned to the track in 2013 but crashed out and broke a vertebraCredit: Rex
