05 April 2023 , 12:37
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Jos Verstappen has admitted he was "hard" on son Max while he was growing up, but denied claims it crossed the line into abuse.
Jos, a former F1 driver himself, has undoubtedly had a huge impact on Max's rise to the top of the sport and once abandoned him at a petrol station in Italy as punishment for a poor result during his go-karting days as a youngster.
And in a new documentary series about world champion Max from Swedish broadcaster Viaplay titled Max Verstappen: Anatomy of a Champion, they both open up in a "personal and honest portrayal of our relationship".
"People say I was a bad father who abused my child," Jos is quoted as saying in the documentary by Swedish outlet Expressen. "I never abused him. I raised him. I was hard on him and that was my plan. Many have no idea what it takes to reach the top in a sport."
Jos was charged with assaulting Max's mother Sophie Kumpen in 2008, but while he was ultimately cleared of that charge he was found guilty of breaching a restraining order. Then in 2012 it was reported that Jos had been arrested for attempted murder after allegedly driving a car at his ex-girlfriend.
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Those charges were later dropped and the pair reconciled, getting married and then divorced. However, after his initial arrest Jos spent time in prison and both he and Max spoke about the incident in the new documentary.
Jos and Max Verstappen (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)"Of course it felt strange to visit dad and see him like that," Max said. "It was definitely one of the hardest periods of my life. But I think it made me stronger in the end."
Jos, meanwhile, describe the incident as a turning point in his life, saying: "It was tough in custody. I told myself this must not happen again. It changed me. I was forced to look at myself in the mirror and it opened my eyes.
"I needed it to understand what is important in life. It was obviously difficult for Max. But I also think it motivated him. He wanted to show that he could do it even without me."