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2021 F1 world champion Max Verstappen is the son of racing drivers Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen. Hence, he was introduced to the world of motorsport at a very early age. However, the Dutchman claims he never felt pressurized by his parents to pursue a career in racing. His own curiosity drove Verstappen into motorsport.
Speaking about how his parents never pressurized him into pursuing motorsport, Verstappen said:
"Of course you know I was born to race but my parents never pushed me in to racing. They said, 'you know you can do whatever you like'."
The 2021 F1 World Champion added:
"I really liked it so my parents never needed to push me into it but of course it's very nice and it helped me a lot throughout my career. Of course my dad was the big influence in terms of performance but on the other end I always had the support of my mum."
Post his win at the Abu Dhabi GP, Verstappen showed his emotional side, a rare sight for the Dutch racer's fans. Verstappen detailed the major elements that helped him earn his first World Championship title. He talked about his family's sacrifice, Red Bull's trust in him and the support of his fans as major factors contributing to his win.
"I didn't like school" - Max Verstappen on what pushed him towards racing
Max Verstappen started karting at the age of four and entered F1 when he was 17 years old. He said he never really liked going to school as a child and had dreams of pursuing a career that would not require him to study much either.
"I didn't like school so I always wanted to do something where I didn't need school for and you know once you achieve your life goal. Your life mission, it's just something truly incredible, not just only for me but for my whole family."
Max Verstappen became the first Dutch driver to become an F1 world champion. At the age of 24, he has several years of competitive racing ahead of him. Max Verstappen could well have rewritten the history of the sport by the time he retires.
