An initially rather stale year takes an unexpected turn thanks to Max Verstappen. Five editors and three columnists share their personal memories of Verstappen in 2025 in a short contribution. Part 7: columnist Koen Vergeer, on Verstappen’s daughter and old-school circuits.
The Max moment of 2025 is, of course, the moment he becomes a father. To daughter Lily. You would trade all your world titles for that. We don’t know much more about it, as Max Verstappen keeps his racing life and home life strictly separate.
However, the old Formula 1 adage that a driver, once a father, would slow down by at least 0.2 seconds per lap, proves to be completely unfounded. Two weeks later, Max wins at Imola, after a spectacular overtaking manoeuvre on Oscar Piastri. Old-school racing circuits bring out the best in Max.
My Max moment in terms of racing is the weekend at Suzuka. There, Max breaks the dominance of McLaren for the first time. A clear signal that the papaya men are not done with him yet. It starts with a magical lap in Q3 to pole. Jaws drop. ‘Only Max Verstappen can do this,’ says Alonso. ‘He keeps finding a higher level, a level this car doesn’t really deserve.’
Okay, fine, over one lap. But on Sunday, he drives another 53 such laps and wins the race. In the white livery. He’s back, don’t count him out. We’ve seen it.
