F1 fans are only just finding out who the inspiration was behind Max Verstappen's name

Formula 1 fans are only just finding out which racing driver was at least part of the inspiration for Max Verstappen's first name.

The four-time world champion was born Max Emilian Verstappen in September 1997.

His father, Jos, was racing in F1 for Tyrell at the time - though it turns out the inspiration for his son's name was seemingly a driver from a completely different racing series.

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Max Verstappen's name inspired by racing icon

In a recently unearthed 2003 interview with Motorsport.com, Jos Verstappen revealed that Max's mother, Sophie, actually chose her son's name back in 1997.

In the interview, Jos was asked whether Verstappen was named after the then FIA president Max Mosley, who was then about to be re-elected to his second term at the helm.

But the Dutchman instead replied that Grand Prix motorcycle rider Max Biaggi was actually more of the inspiration for the name. Biaggi was born with the first name Massimiliano, but shortened it during his racing career.

"My wife chose the name," Jos said. "I think it's more after Max Biaggi she called him. As well, she wanted a strong name, a short name, and I think Max is pretty good."

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Who is Max Biaggi?

Biaggi did not become a MotoGP rider until 1998, after Verstappen was born.But prior to that, he was a four-time consecutive champion in the 250cc class, racing for Aprilia and Honda.

In the 1997 season, the Italian won five races and finished second at the season-ending Australian Grand Prix, which secured the championship, five days after Verstappen was born.

Max Biaggi (right) celebrates after winning the 1997 250cc world championship (Image: Getty)

In 1998, Biaggi decided to step up to the 500cc class - the premier class of motorcycle racing before it was rebranded to MotoGP in 2002 - and finished in second place in the championship behind Mick Doohan.

Biaggi led the standings with four races to go but recorded finishes of third, eighth and fifth, as well as a disqualification, from the final races. Doohan won all four races and, with it, his second consecutive championship.

He switched to Yamaha for 1999 and was runner-up in the standings to Valentino Rossi in 2001 and 2002. Two third-placed finishes, with occasional race victories, followed when he switched back to Honda, before his final season in MotoGP, in 2005, ended with Biaggi finishing in fifth in the championship.

After losing his seat for 2006, the Italian switched to the World Superbike Championship and won two titles with Aprilia, with whom he had enjoyed significant success in 250cc.

He retired from competitive racing aged 41 in 2012, stating: "I believe I've missed enough time with my children and my partner already ... I'm not some old politician, attached to my chair; it's only fair that I make way for the youngsters." Biaggi briefly returned as a World Superbike wildcard in 2015.