Max Verstappen did not expect to still be in the running for the title in Abu Dhabi, and he is not the only one in his family who thought so. The world champion will have to race at the Yas Marina Circuit without his parents on the sidelines, although his mother Sophie Kumpen will light a candle for her son. However, Verstappen himself remains extremely relaxed ahead of the decisive race for the 2025 championship: ‘I already have four World Cups at home’.
During the upcoming Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, for the first time in fifteen years, more than two drivers are still vying for the world title. Lando Norris leads the championship, with a twelve-point lead over Max Verstappen. The reigning world champion is closely followed by Oscar Piastri. Verstappen did not expect to have a chance at his fifth world title in Abu Dhabi. Therefore, both of Verstappen’s parents, Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen, did not travel to the Yas Marina Circuit.
“My father is driving a rally in Africa, and my mother… well, it was not planned that she would come here. But it was also not planned that I would still be in the title fight until the last race of the season. After Zandvoort, many plans were cancelled,” Verstappen admits in the press conference. “But you can see a lot on television too.”
Did Max Verstappen‘s parents have any encouraging words for the world champion? “That’s not really our thing,” said the driver. “They know that I give everything as soon as I get in the car. We prefer to talk about other things. They don’t need to motivate me. Of course, they do support me; my mother always lights a candle.”
Trophy Looks the Same
Despite his ongoing title fight coming unexpectedly, Verstappen is certainly not tense for the decisive final race in Abu Dhabi. This contrasts with four years earlier, when the Dutchman suffered from cramps in the decisive final round at the Yas Marina Circuit. “I feel very relaxed because I have nothing to lose. I mainly enjoyed the second half of the season. I take it as it comes, and everything else is just a bonus. It’s not entirely up to me whether I win the title or not.”
When Verstappen is then asked if he has a slight advantage due to his previous experience with an exciting conclusion to a title fight in 2021, the Dutchman responds again with composure. “The trophy still looks the same, and I already have four at home,” he jokes. “I have achieved everything I wanted to achieve. Realistically, we are also not the fastest in Abu Dhabi, but you never know.”
