Max Verstappen's sister Victoria Verstappen drops a 3-word verdict on brother's heroics in the British GP qualifying

Max Verstappen silenced his doubters and the Silverstone winds alike on Saturday, with a blistering final lap to snatch pole position for the 2025 British Grand Prix. Watching it all unfold from afar, his sister Victoria Verstappen captured the moment in three words.

She shared an F1 post celebrating Max's pole on her Instagram story and wrote:

"Simply the best✨"

Max Verstappen's sister, Victoria, celebrates his pole win at Silverstone. Source: Instagram via @victoriaverstappen

The Red Bull ace had endured a scrappy Friday plagued by grip issues and shifting winds, but when it mattered most, he pulled a champion's lap out of the bag.

Being Max Verstappen's sibling who has grown up in the paddock, she knows the weight behind every qualifying tenth. Younger than Max, Victoria dabbled in karting early on and showed promise, but ultimately chose not to pursue racing professionally. While her younger brother climbed the motorsport ladder, Victoria carved her own space in social media and fashion.

Victoria Verstappen, Max Verstappen's sister, during the Dutch Grand Prix at the Zandvoort circuit. REMKO DE WAAL. Source: Getty

They also share a racing legacy, shaped by their father, Jos Verstappen, a former F1 driver himself. Despite not being actively involved in the sport, she remains a familiar face in the paddock, especially at home races in Zandvoort.

In turn, Max Verstappen acknowledged the moment with a celebratory post of his own. Sharing multiple images of him from post-qualifying, the Dutchman wrote:

"That's just simply lovely! Let’s go @redbullracing, excited for the race 💪 #KeepPushing"

This was his 44th career pole (tying Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull record).

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Max Verstappen secures pole after criticizing RB21 in tough practice sessions

Max Verstappen celebrates the F1 World Championship at Silverstone Qualifying. Source: Getty

Heading into Saturday, Max Verstappen didn't look like a pole contender. In FP1, he languished in 10th, half a second off Lewis Hamilton's leading pace. In FP2, despite a slight improvement to fifth, he was frustrated on the team radio over his Red Bull car's inconsistent braking in low-speed and high-speed corners.

The RB21 seemed unpredictable in the gusty British winds at Silverstone. Yet come Saturday, everything changed. In FP3, Verstappen shot back up the order to finish third, suggesting a corner had been turned. The team had been methodically clawing back confidence in the setup with upgrades on downforce levels and tire windows. By Qualifying, the conditions were still tricky, but Red Bull No.1's precision returned.

In Q1 and Q2, he never led the timing sheets, but stayed well within the top three throughout, managing tire warm-up better than most. In Q3, with Oscar Piastri setting provisional pole and Lando Norris within striking distance, Verstappen was fourth with time running out. That's when his 1:24.892s flying lap at the end of the session snatched pole away by just 0.103 seconds from Piastri.

Norris couldn't improve either, locking in a 2–3 for McLaren behind the Red Bull driver. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton slotted into P4 and P5 respectively, as Verstappen took his fourth pole of 2025, equaling Piastri for most poles this season. Speaking after the session, he said (via F1):

"It wasn't easy out there to produce a consistent lap time just because of the wind, the gusts as well that you got out there. The car was moving around a lot even just on straights, so sometimes a bit unpredictable in places because of it. But luckily, that last lap came together quite nicely."

With McLaren's superior race pace still looming as a Sunday threat, particularly with Norris and Piastri flanking him on the grid, Verstappen knew Saturday was only half the battle. But for a driver who won the 2023 British GP from pole, the front row remains a familiar, dangerous place.

Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris after the F1 British Grand Prix qualifying. Source: Getty

The RB21 still isn't perfect. The wind is still unpredictable. But Max Verstappen's got a clear track, a little momentum, and the quiet push of family behind him.