Max Verstappen is a three-time world champion after recording a mind-boggling 19 wins in a 22-race season. In the record-shattering season with an 86.36% win percentage, the Red Bull man has turned the premier motorsport competition into a circus. However, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and nor was Max Verstappen’s legend. This is precisely what an F1 insider highlighted while scrutinizing his past.

We know the Dutchman did not have the easiest childhood with his father, Jos Verstappen. The two had a tumultuous relationship with his father’s questionable parenting skills. We are all aware of the infamous gas station story. However, this is exactly what made him who he is today. On the latest episode of the F1: Chequered Flag podcast, British racing driver Alice Powell talked about Verstappen’s past. Considering his father and mother, Sophie Kumpen, were both racing drivers, the Verstappen family’s racing DNA made him who he is today. But that’s not all.

Powell believes his strict upbringing made him the ruthless winning machine he is today. “He’s just been bred to be a racing driver since he was a very, very young age. His mum’s a racing driver as well. His sister Victoria she did some racing, and they were both very good in karting. Obviously, Jos raced in Formula 1. So it’s a real racing family. [Max Verstappen] knows, and he’s been brought up as how to win, and he’s had a bit of a ruthless sort of upbringing. He’s had a strict upbringing at times, and it has bred him to sort of be a winner,” Powell said.

“He’s ruthless, and he knows what it takes to win, and he knows the hard work that it takes to win,” she concluded.

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Usually frowned upon, but in Verstappen’s case, the tough parenting has worked in his favor. In fact, he himself admitted his father’s harsh words are helping him now.

Max Verstappen gives another glimpse into his father’s tough parenting

Jos always had a vision for his son. However, he could not just express his desire to see Max become a world champion, sit on the sidelines, and wait for it to magically become a reality. He took decisive action, which was harsh at the time, given the Dutchman’s age. However, now Max understands it was a necessary evil.

After winning the GQ Athlete of the Year award, Verstappen revealed a story. “My dad, of course, kept telling me: ‘It’s going great, but you will lose. It’s not going to be great forever,'” he revealed. “But it helps a lot later on—like now, in Formula 1. You learn to lose, to give it its place. Because you have to accept that you cannot win every race.” 

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We always see the negative side of things in young Max’s interaction with his father. However, if he himself accepts his father’s actions, do we have the right to demonize him? Moreover, after seeing his success, do you accept his methods?