A THIRD Verstappen F1 driver? Paddock veteran reveals how another family member could have joined Formula 1 grid

Max Verstappen

THIRD Verstappen driver could have raced in F1

Max Verstappen and father Jos might not have been the only Formula 1 drivers in their family

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Sunday 21 May 2023 17:27

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Eddie Jordan has insisted that Max Verstappen’s mother could have been a Formula 1 driver when he was racing – but that “there wasn’t a mechanism there to help her” at the time.

Verstappen is currently battling with fellow Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez for what looks set to be a two-horse race for the 2023 world championship such is the dominance of the RB19.

Verstappen’s father, Jos, raced in F1 himself – but it turns out that there might have been a third family member taking part in the sport if things had been different.

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“I believe that in the next decade, if not before, there will be a worthy woman racing in F1,” David Coulthard told the Formula For Success podcast.

“It's about being able to create opportunities and develop your skills in the same way as a Verstappen or a Lewis Hamilton.”

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And Jordan insisted that Verstappen’s mother, Sophie Kumpen, was fast enough to have been a F1 driver herself when he was on the grid.

"The only person that I think they could have done that with in my time is with Max’s mum,” he added.

“I think that Max Verstappen’s mother was a serious, absolutely wonderfully quick girl, and she – without any question – could have made it, in my opinion, into F1. But there wasn’t a mechanism there to help her."