In December 2021, a then lesser-known Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton at the Yas Marina Circuit, where the Dutchman became Formula One world champion for the first time. Present that day was a key figure in the rise of “Mad Max”: his mother, Sophie Kumpen.

What Is Verstappen’s Mother’s Ritual in Formula One?

According to De Limburger, which cites comments from Kumpen herself, the former karting driver visits a chapel in the Belgian village of Heppeneert before each Grand Prix and lights candles for her son.

“On that final lap I was shouting: ‘angels, angels, angels!’ And they did their job. I don’t believe in God, but I do believe in angels. And they helped me — the angels. I can’t count how many candles I’ve lit,” Sophie said while recalling her son’s first world title.

Max Verstappen, a Formula One Passion Passed Down by His Mother

Born in Belgium, Sophie Kumpen showed her love for racing from a young age, competing in karting from the age of 11. Those who watched her race say she was among the best of her generation and even went wheel-to-wheel with drivers like Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella — though family life eventually pulled her away from the track.

Verstappen himself has acknowledged the influence of his mother:

“My father also raced in Formula 1, of course, but my mother used to compete in karts against drivers who later made it to Formula 1, like Button and Fisichella. So I’d even say the passion for racing in the family comes more from my mother,” he told Red Bull in an interview.