Max Verstappen has taken his first step into driver development by lending his support to 15-year-old Belgian Dries van Langendonck, a McLaren junior driver and 2023 world junior karting champion, through his Verstappen Racing outfit.
The news emerged during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, where van Langendonck was present as part of McLaren's driver development programme. The teenager will retain his place within the McLaren setup while receiving additional guidance and resources from the four-time world champion.
Van Langendonck joined McLaren's development programme in 2024 at the age of 13, shortly after winning the 2023 FIA World Junior Karting Championship. He made the transition to single-seaters last season and immediately made an impression, becoming the youngest winner of a British Formula 4 race on his debut at Donington Park. He also secured the Formula Winter Series title in Iberia before the year was out.
The 2026 season has seen van Langendonck continue his trajectory. He currently leads the British F4 championship standings with four race wins, establishing himself as one of the most promising talents in the junior single-seater ladder.
Speaking ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen explained why he decided to back the young Belgian.
"Dries has been a big talent for a long time already in karting and I think you can spot quite quickly when someone is a little bit more special than someone else," said Verstappen. "I think that has carried on with what he is doing in F4 and that's why I think it's very exciting to try and help him, guide him, of course hand-in-hand from McLaren's side as well, to make the right decisions for his future."
Verstappen, who already runs GT and sim racing teams under the Verstappen Racing banner, emphasised that this marks the first time his organisation has actively supported a young driver in the lower echelons of single-seater competition.
Van Langendonck, who counts Verstappen as his idol, said the additional backing would be invaluable. "Verstappen Racing provides another layer of support and backing alongside McLaren, which will be important for my career," he said. "It gives me access to additional resources and opportunities to continue developing as a driver, including extra simulator time at Max's simulator facility."
The partnership retains van Langendonck's existing ties with McLaren, meaning the teenager benefits from the resources of both a leading F1 team's academy and a four-time world champion's personal racing organisation.
"Ultimately, my goal is to race in Formula 1 and obviously become a Formula 1 World Champion," van Langendonck added. "There's still a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead, but I believe that's possible with McLaren and their support."
Sources
- https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/who-is-dries-van-langendonck-the-mclaren-junior-driver-signed-by-max-verstappen.64Gz7j4oPxbRJdyJzyqo2r
