Jos Verstappen has been criticised for his parenting approach (Image: Getty)
In 2009, Jaime Alguersuari became the youngest F1 driver in history, making his debut as a 19-year-old at the . Even today, the Spaniard is only 34, but while similarly-aged stars are still competing at the highest levels, the former Toro Rosso man makes a living in nightclubs.
Alguersuari endured a difficult start to life in F1, scoring points in just three of his first 33 Grands Prix, but things improved in 2011, and his form picked up. Despite this, he was dropped at the end of the year, making way for and Jean-Eric Vergne.
After a brief stint in Formula E with Virgin Racing, Alguersuari made a left-field career change. The 34-year-old now has a recording studio in Barcelona and has played DJ sets at European nightclubs, including in tourist hotspot Ibiza, under the stage name ‘Squire’.
Aside from his new music career, Alguersuari has been in the public eye for criticising how reigning world champion was brought up. His father, Jos Verstappen, adopted a harsh approach to parenting during the Dutchman’s childhood, which has been widely debated in the F1 community.
Speaking to AS about Verstappen Snr in 2023, Alguersuari clarified that he disapproved of his parenting choices. “It’s the exception that proves the rule,” he said. “His father taught him, through violence, to win races.
“That’s how he was trained. There was no luck. They pushed him so far that they ended up with a perfect driver. His father used violence when Max did not win in karting. I would never raise my son like that. It was shameful, but it worked for them.”
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Jaime Alguersuari now makes a living as a DJ (Image: Getty)
Verstappen Snr isn’t the only figure in the entourage with whom Alguersuari has a strained relationship. The Spaniard has also voiced frustrations at Helmut Marko. “I went to greet him at Silverstone, but he didn’t pay much attention to me,” he explained.
“He told me I had become a famous DJ, and I replied that it wasn’t true. It was a strange feeling for me because I felt at ease in a place where I had been ill and didn’t enjoy myself. Coming back in a more relaxed and calm way made me put an end to a bad dream I had.
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“However, seeing everything so close again, I had flashbacks of moments of anguish, and Carlos [Sainz] knows what I’m talking about because he experienced it first-hand. The Toro Rosso wasn’t a competitive car, but no one in the team gave importance to good results.
“It was frustrating. I don’t think it’s bad to be pushed to the limit by a junior team because it’s part of the selection process. The problem is that you are removed for a commercial and political decision, and whoever replaces you does worse. I’m talking about facts.”