When a multi-millionaire refused to sponsor Max Verstappen — and was left to regret it

Max Verstappen is the hottest property on the Formula 1 circuit and but the 27-year-old Dutch driver showed promise early in his career as well. Four-time world champion Verstappen made his F1 debut at the age of 17 with Toro Rosso in 2015.

Despite Verstappen impressing so early in his career and him being the son of a Formula 1 driver, there’s a Dutch multi-millionaire businessman who refused to sponsor Max in the early days and has regretted the decision ever since.

When multi-millionaire refused to sponsor Max Verstappen

Verstappen’s father, Jos, competed in Formula 1 between 1994 and 2003, and Michel Perridon’s electronics company Trust was his regular sponsor. Raymond Vermeulen, who has managed both Verstappens, had offered an opportunity to Perridon to even sponsor Max at the early stage of his career but the Dutchman refused.

In a recent podcast, Perridon admitted that it was a misjudgment on his end.

“I always sponsored Jos Verstappen with my company, Max’s father, and that cost millions," Perridon told The Dutch Dragons podcast.

“At one point, his manager comes to me, [he is] also Max’s manager. He said, ‘Do you want to invest five million? Then you get 10 per cent of all of Max’s income for the rest of his life.’

“But what did Jan Lul [a Dutch fictional character, often used as a name for someone who has done something stupid] say? ‘I won’t do it. I’ve invested enough in your family…’,” he added.

“A small mistake… You get it wrong sometimes, too, huh?”

It has been reported that Perridon has a net worth of around €250m, which means he is still a very rich man.

Verstappen, who has won all F1 titles since 2021, is currently on an estimated $65m per year contract with Red Bull. His net worth is reportedly near the $210m mark, as per media reports.