Verstappen family takes double victory as Jos wins on ERC debut

News of Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix triumph was delivered to Jos Verstappen while sitting in a rally car en route to success in the European Rally Championship.

Last weekend offered up a double victory for the Verstappen family as Max’s masterful drive from pole to win the Japanese Grand Prix preceded father Jos claiming the Masters Class on the asphalt roads at Rally Sierra Morena, Spain.

Rally Sierra Morena marked Jos Verstappen’s debut in the European Rally Championship, with the event the first of a three-year plan to compete in the series, after the Dutchman switched to rallying in 2022.

Amid the competition Jos was keeping a close eye on his son’s progress in Japan and was able to watch part of Sunday’s race before jumping in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 car to begin Saturday’s morning loop of stages. He was informed of Max’s win by ERC TV crews at the end of stage seven.     

“We were watching it just before the stage, but I couldn’t watch the last 14 laps so it’s good [he’s won],” said Jos Verstappen. “This [win] was good [for me], but Max’s win is more important.”

Jos Verstappen and co-driver Renaud Jamoul delivered an impressive performance on Sierra Morena’s challenging asphalt stages. The pair were joint third-fastest after the opening stage, before going on to finish 13th overall behind event winner Nikolay Gryazin.

Fifty-three-year-old Verstappen lifted the inaugural ERC Masters Class victory – for drivers aged over 50, introduced into the championship for the 2025 campaign – leading Andras Hadik by 2m31.2s.

“It’s fine to win the Masters [Class] but that’s not what we came for,” added Verstappen. “We want to get closer to the top guys and that was the difficulty.

“But I must say some things I am pleased of, but there are a lot of other things to improve a lot, and to learn. We need to do more of these kinds of rallies with a lot of notes, a lot of corners, that’s what we have to improve and that’s why we are here. We’re not giving up, it only motivates me, and we will get there.

“It’s a medium list, it’s a little bit everywhere, it’s not only one thing but for sure there’s a lot in the notes. It’s me who can absorb all the information, but it’s a question of doing it more and more on these kinds of rallies – that’s where we have to focus.”

Verstappen will swap asphalt for gravel when the ERC heads to Hungary for the second round from 9-11 May.

“Gravel is another story, but we said the first year is all about learning, getting experience,” he said. “The second year, hopefully we will get a little bit better, and we will see in the future if we get a little more competitive.”