Jonas Leo
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has definitively stated he will not pursue a career in competitive rallying, drawing a clear distinction between the meticulously controlled environments of circuit racing and the inherent, unpredictable dangers of rally stages. While the Dutch sensation has openly expressed interest in exploring other motorsport disciplines after his illustrious Formula 1 tenure concludes, he has outlined specific safety concerns that preclude him from following in his father Jos Verstappen’s tire tracks into the challenging world of rallying.
Max Verstappen, currently in the midst of a dominant era in Formula 1 with Oracle Red Bull Racing, holds an impressive record, having secured multiple consecutive world championships. His career, marked by aggressive driving and strategic brilliance, has positioned him as one of the sport’s most formidable figures. Beyond F1, Verstappen has occasionally participated in virtual endurance races and has hinted at future real-world endeavors in categories like endurance racing, a common post-F1 path for many elite drivers seeking new challenges. However, rallying, despite its appeal to a select few F1 alumni, remains firmly off his personal agenda.
The topic arose during Verstappen’s appearance on the Up To Speed podcast, where he discussed his father, Jos Verstappen, and his active participation in the European Rally Championship (ERC). Jos Verstappen, a former Formula 1 driver himself with 107 Grand Prix starts for teams including Benetton, Arrows, and Minardi, transitioned to rallying later in his motorsport career. He currently competes in the ERC, a prominent international rallying series sanctioned by the FIA, which features diverse events across Europe on a variety of surfaces including gravel, asphalt, and snow. The championship is known for its rigorous demands on both driver and co-driver, requiring exceptional car control, precise pace note interpretation, and unwavering focus over often treacherous terrain.
Max expressed profound admiration for his father’s commitment and performance in the ERC. "Yeah, it’s pretty crazy to be honest. What I find really impressive is that he’s 53 years old now, almost 54, and he’s racing against guys that are what, late 20s, early 30s," the Red Bull driver explained. "In some championships, he’s beating them. And, of course, in rallying, a lot goes through notes, but at the end of the day, when you do a certain rally a few times, you go off muscle memory a little bit. So if you do it for a few years, you get better at it naturally."
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Jos Verstappen, often seen competing in a Skoda Fabia Evo R2, has demonstrated remarkable adaptability and speed, proving to be a formidable competitor despite his age. His son’s observations highlight the unique skill set required in rallying, where intimate knowledge of the stages, precise interpretation of pace notes from the co-driver, and an innate feel for the car on constantly changing surfaces are paramount. The ability to recall specific sections of a stage, building "muscle memory" over repeated participations, is a critical advantage, and Jos’s success against younger, dedicated rally drivers underscores his natural talent and dedication to the discipline.
Max further elaborated on his father’s competitive edge, even in informal settings. "He’s very good at it, to be honest. He loves it. He’s very hard to beat. When we go on to – like – let’s say you rent a little space on an airport and they set out a track and then you drive together, like honestly, I have to go flat out to beat him on a lap." This anecdote provides insight into the enduring competitive spirit within the Verstappen family and Jos’s undiminished driving prowess. Max also described watching his father’s rally footage with genuine appreciation: "He shows me all the videos that he’s doing in whatever kind of rally car that he’s driving, and I mean I find it really impressive."
Despite this deep admiration for his father’s exploits and the inherent skill involved in rallying, Max Verstappen drew a firm boundary when considering his own potential participation. His decision hinges squarely on the stark differences in safety protocols and risk profiles between Formula 1 and competitive rallying.
Formula 1, over its long history, has undergone a radical transformation in terms of safety. Modern F1 cars are built around immensely strong carbon fibre monocoques, designed to protect the driver in severe impacts. Cockpit protection devices like the Halo, mandatory since 2018, significantly reduce the risk of head injuries. Tracks are meticulously designed with extensive run-off areas, multi-layered energy-absorbing barriers (such as Tecpro and tyre walls), and strict safety regulations governing circuit infrastructure and vehicle construction. The medical response at an F1 event is immediate and highly specialized, with dedicated medical teams and facilities on standby. These measures aim to mitigate the consequences of high-speed accidents, channelling kinetic energy away from the driver and providing a controlled environment for racing.
Rallying, by its very nature, operates in a fundamentally different context. Rally stages traverse public and private roads, often through forests, mountains, or open countryside, featuring natural hazards such as trees, rocks, steep drops, and varying surface conditions that change with weather and previous competitors. While rally cars are equipped with robust roll cages, advanced safety seats, and fire suppression systems, and drivers wear comprehensive protective gear, the environment itself presents unique and unavoidable risks. An impact in rallying frequently involves immovable natural objects – a tree, a rock face – which offer no energy absorption and can result in severe, sudden deceleration forces.
It is this distinction that forms the crux of Verstappen’s hesitation. "I think it’s really cool, but I just think about if I make a mistake and I hit that tree, I mean the tree is not moving. That, for me, is my limit. That, for me, is something that I don’t want to do. It’s just too high of a risk," Verstappen stated unequivocally. "And I know that sounds maybe a bit silly, but in Formula 1 at least or most of the time, when you crash, there is a barrier, like a properly designed barrier that should absorb the impact a bit more. It’s a bit different in my head at least. It’s just a risk that I’m not willing to take, but it is really cool to see."
Verstappen’s rationale underscores the psychological aspect of risk assessment for elite athletes. While F1 drivers are accustomed to operating at the absolute limit of control and speed, they do so within a highly engineered safety framework designed to manage and mitigate predictable crash scenarios. The unpredictable and unyielding nature of a rally environment, where a momentary lapse can lead to an uncushioned impact with a natural obstacle, represents a level of risk that Verstappen deems unacceptable for his personal boundaries. His comments reflect a pragmatic approach to his career and well-being, prioritizing disciplines where the safety measures align more closely with his comfort level.
This stance is not unprecedented among top-tier circuit racers. While some, like Kimi Räikkönen and Robert Kubica, have ventured into rallying post-F1, others, including many active and retired champions, have steered clear due to the perceived elevated risks. Fernando Alonso, for example, pursued Dakar Rally challenges but maintained a clear distinction from traditional stage rallying. Max Verstappen’s firm decision to avoid competitive rallying, despite his father’s successful participation, highlights a personal calculation of risk versus reward that will guide his post-Formula 1 racing career, likely towards other circuit-based disciplines where safety advancements offer a more controlled environment.
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Author Profile
- Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.
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