Jos Verstappen’s response as son Max accused of being ‘arrogant and blunt’

has brushed off opinions that his son, , is ‘arrogant’. Instead, Verstappen Snr has the four-time world champion for his ‘direct’ communication style and willingness to ‘stand up for himself’.

Verstappen Jnr landed himself in hot water on multiple occasions in 2024 for his communication. In Hungary, he was blasted by multiple members of the team and a number of pundits in the paddock after swearing repeatedly at his strategists and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Then, in Singapore, the Dutchman was slapped with a community service punishment after swearing during the FIA press conference. This particular incident generated widespread controversy, with many fellow drivers coming to the defence of Verstappen.

Verstappen saved the biggest war of words until last, igniting a fierce row with after qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix, which dragged on into the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The Brit labelled the man a “bully” who “cannot deal with adversity”, while the four-time champion hit back, calling the driver a “loser”.

When asked about the public perception of his son, Verstappen Snr told : “I think so. He is not arrogant but direct. Yes, always standing up for yourself was part of my upbringing. We always talk about role models for young people.

“I ask now: What is more of a role model? If you act behind people’s backs or openly say what you think and always stand by your personal values? I can only say: How Max behaves in public, how he bluntly says his opinion – that makes me just as extremely proud of my son as his sporting successes.

“Many people don’t know the real Max. On the track, he is unconditionally aggressive, and he has to be. But in private, he is a calm, extremely balanced, friendly soul. Someone who wants harmony and who listens carefully and then draws his conclusions. You should know that.”

Verstappen’s robust attitude played a major role in securing his latest World Championship. His willingness to drive over the limit stopped from making significant inroads to his advantage on a number of occasions, including in Austria, Texas and Mexico City.

Looking at his son’s latest triumph, Verstappen Snr said: “Every title is special and valuable. The best is always the first. Abu Dhabi 2021 was special. When you win the title on the last lap, you’ll never forget it.

“ and won’t like that. But I still remember sitting in the pits with my son shortly after the race, and we reviewed his career in fast forward. It was an extremely beautiful and emotional moment for both of us.

“As for this year, his race in the pouring rain in Sao Paulo obviously stands out. He had to start from the back in extremely difficult conditions. It was easy to make a mistake, but Max just drove as if the rain hadn’t happened. That was special.”