JANUARY 5, 2016

Verstappen retires in order to focus on son Max

Jos Verstappen has called time on his motor racing career in order to focus on his son Max.

Jos Verstappen has called time on his motor racing career in order to focus on his son Max.

The former F1 driver, who was once teammate to the great Michael Schumacher in the 90s, revealed last week that he turned down an opportunity to race again later this year at Le Mans.

"It didn't fit into the programme this time," Jos, 43, said.

But he has now told the specialist Dutch publication Formule 1 that he is retiring from motor racing altogether, in order to focus completely on Max.

"I want nothing more than that Max is successful," Jos, referring to his 18-year-old son who drives for Toro Rosso, said.

"My career is over.

"There was an idea to do the 24 hours of Le Mans again and at first I thought it would be good. But then I saw that it coincides with formula one (Azerbaijan) and I would not be at ease if Max is racing somewhere else.

"If I'm honest, Max is now number 1. I put everything else aside for him. I want this to be a success story," Verstappen snr added.

(GMM)