Max Verstappen Receives Worrying News After Daughter's Birthday

Max Verstappen heads into the 2026 Miami Grand Prix weekend with his family firmly in the spotlight. While the four-time Formula 1 world champion prepares for the second Sprint weekend of the season, news from home has given him plenty to think about away from the track.

The worrying news came from Belgium, where Max's father, Jos Verstappen, was involved in a heavy crash during the Rallye de Wallonie stage, smashing into a tree at high speed. Images and videos shared on social media showed the car destroyed, left in a crumpled wreck barely recognizable from what it once was.

The former Formula 1 driver and co-driver Jasper Vermeulen escaped the incident without injury, walking away from a crash that, given the state of the car, could have been far worse.

Jos Verstappen Addresses Car Crash

Jos Verstappen later explained how the accident unfolded during the stage, revealing that a combination of dust and gravel caused the car to lose grip entering the corner.

"It was in fourth gear to the right," Verstappen's father said, as translated by ESPN from an interview shared by the Belgian Rally Championship on Instagram. "It was dusty, there was gravel. I think we went into the corner slightly too fast."

The 54-year-old driver added that the rear of the car suddenly stepped out before the incident escalated: "At the end of the corner, the car broke out on the back side, then we hit the post. Due to the hit, the car was spinning in circles, and then we landed upside down."

The posts showed Lily surrounded by balloons, teddy bears, and decorations at their Monaco home, with Piquet's daughter Penelope from her previous relationship with former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat also featured in the celebrations. A family photo with Verstappen holding Lily completed what was clearly a very special day for the couple.

With Miami approaching, the Red Bull driver will hope the warmth of that family moment carries over to the track, where he faces growing pressure in the 2026 Formula 1 championship battle.

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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 4:21 AM.