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Since bursting onto the Formula 1 scene at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, "Mad" Max Verstappen is one of the sport's rising young stars.
His race craft, skill and talent have all ensured that he is one of the hottest commodities in F1 today.
His first F1 victory was achieved at the 2016 Spanish GP - little over a year since entering the sport - and since then the soon-to-be 22-year-old has managed to secure six more wins.
Seven wins may seem insignificant, but Verstappen has proved that he can compete with veterans, and achieving a world championship is only a matter of time.
While achieving great adoration from fans and admonishment by rivals, Verstappen’s value has only increased despite his often controversial antics - value not only as a racing driver, but as a marketable prospect for Red Bull and other entities outside of the sport.
Although we don’t know the exact figure, Verstappen’s net worth is estimated to be in the region of $10m (approx. R153 046 000), according to Express.co.uk.
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Epic cars in his garage
Like all F1 drivers, Verstappen started with a small salary (in F1 terms), but with yearly increases brought into the equation, the Dutchman will, reportedly, earn an estimated R206 612 100 from his Red Bull contract in 2019. When you factor in endorsement deals from Ziggo and Exact, amongst others, that figure could see a substantial increase.
So, with that much money, what do you spend it on? If you're an F1 racer, that's easy - lots of amazing cars.
In his garage sits a 260kW Maserati Ghibli. This four-door luxury family sedan has a top speed of 267km/h, clears the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.5 seconds, and power from its 3.0-litre V6 engine is sent to the rear wheels via an automatic gearbox. Knowing what a real sports car is about, Verstappen purchased a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The latest iteration of this classic car, launched in 2017, is powered by a 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine that produces 368kW. Power is sent to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual gearbox or Porsche’s seven-speed PDK.
READ: Millions in salary, incredible cars, and relaxing holidays… F1 ace Lewis Hamilton’s life of leisure
Given Red Bull’s partnership with Aston Martin, it's fair to assume that Verstappen could have received his Vanquish S as a little bonus from the team. Powered by the biggest engine of all his cars, the 6.0-litre V12 produces 440kW and 630Nm! Top speed is rated at 323km/h, and the 0-100km/h dash is dispatched in 3.5sec.
The undoubted star in his garage is the 2016 Renault Sport RS. When made available to selected customers, including Verstappen, this limited sports car had a price tag of £210 000. That translates to about R3.9m! Powered by a Nissan GT-R-sourced 3.8-litre V6 engine, power has been increased to 410kW to gift the car a top speed of 305km/h. A seven-speed sequential gearbox does the transfer duties, and maximum downforce is rated at 1 200kg!
Love life
When Verstappen joined Toro Rosso in 2015, he was dating racer Mikala Ahlin-Kottulinsky. The pair were often seen together at races and other events, and Verstappen allowed her behind the wheel of his 2015 Toro Rosso racer. Ahlin-Kottulinsky, also a motorsport competitor, and Verstappen went their separate ways shortly after the Dutchman won his first race in 2016.
Following his breakup with Ahlin-Kottulinsky, Verstappen was linked to Instagram model, Joyce Godefridi. Though they’ve spent time together, it was never confirmed whether they were in a relationship or just enjoying each other's company. Godefridi didn’t stay in the picture too long and was soon replaced by Maxime Pourquie.
Hailing from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Verstappen’s home country, Pourquie met Verstappen at a New Year’s Eve party on December 31, 2016. The two hit it off and Verstappen, then still 19 years old, flew the 21-year-old brunette beauty to his pad in Monaco. Pourquie stayed around for a while, but not long after Verstappen ended things.
Towards the end of the 2017 season, Verstappen began seeing Dilara Sanlik, a German student studying in London. Sanlik attended several races throughout the 2018/9 seasons, and she’s even met Verstappen’s father Jos, and sister Victoria. She and Verstappen also spent last year’s Christmas together.
Read Charlen Raymond's review of Max Verstappen's season so far below: