Verstappen began karting at the age of eight and became Dutch junior champion in 1984. In 1989 he became a two-class Karting European Champion — a feat that remained unmatched until his son Max Verstappen achieved the same in 2013. He transitioned to car racing at the end of 1991, winning the Formula Opel Lotus Benelux Championship in his first year and also winning the EFDA Nations Cup representing the Netherlands. In 1993 he moved to German Formula Three with Opel, winning the championship as a rookie and also taking the Masters of Formula 3.
Verstappen had his first Formula One test at the Estoril circuit on 28 September 1993, driving for Footwork Arrows. On his fourth timed lap he set a time that would have placed him tenth on the grid for the preceding Portuguese Grand Prix, and by day's end was just 0.07 seconds slower than regular driver Derek Warwick had lapped in qualifying. After the test he was contacted by every Formula One team except Ferrari and Williams, and signed as Benetton's test driver for 1994.
A pre-season crash by regular driver JJ Lehto — who broke a vertebra — gave Verstappen his race debut at the 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix, partnering Michael Schumacher. During the race he collided with Eddie Irvine, triggering a multi-car accident that also involved Éric Bernard and Martin Brundle; Verstappen's car somersaulted but he was unhurt. At the Pacific Grand Prix he ran sixth but spun off on cold tyres after a pit stop.
After Lehto returned but underperformed, Benetton gave Verstappen the race seat from the Canadian Grand Prix onward. At the German Grand Prix a dramatic pit stop fire engulfed the car — fuel leaked when the hose was disconnected; Verstappen had his visor slightly open at the time but escaped with only minor burns to his nose. The incident led to fuel delivery hoses being modified with a fail-safe cut-out system across Formula One. The season's high point was a third place at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Schumacher had allowed Verstappen to unlap himself on the final lap to pass Brundle's stricken McLaren-Peugeot — making Verstappen the first Dutch driver to score a podium finish in Formula One. A further third place followed at the Belgian Grand Prix after Schumacher's post-race disqualification from victory. For the final two races Verstappen was replaced by Johnny Herbert as Benetton pursued the Constructors' Championship against Williams.
Benetton principal Flavio Briatore loaned Verstappen to Simtek for 1995. He completed only five races with the team — which had deep financial troubles and went bankrupt after the Monaco Grand Prix — finishing on just one occasion due to persistent technical failures. Briatore chose not to take up his option for Verstappen's services in 1996, signing Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger instead.
Verstappen returned to race with Footwork in 1996, finishing sixth in Buenos Aires. During the Belgian Grand Prix a suspension component failed, causing a heavy crash that left him with a prolonged neck injury. New team owner Tom Walkinshaw initially favoured Verstappen for 1997, but dropped him when the surprise availability of Damon Hill — that year's World Champion — arose.
At Tyrrell in 1997 Verstappen failed to score points, hampered by an underpowered Ford Cosworth EDV V8 and a lack of funding. His best result was eighth at the wet Monaco Grand Prix. He briefly ran fifth at the Canadian Grand Prix. Ken Tyrrell wanted to retain him for 1998 but BAT, which had bought the team and intended to rebrand it as British American Racing for 1999, insisted on a pay driver instead.
Verstappen returned mid-season in 1998, replacing Jan Magnussen at Stewart from the French Grand Prix. The car was uncompetitive and he did not improve significantly on his predecessor's results. Johnny Herbert was signed for 1999 alongside Rubens Barrichello.
Verstappen became test driver for the Honda Formula One project near the end of 1998. The programme had performed well in testing, lapping near the pace of upper-midfield teams, until the death of Harvey Postlethwaite. Honda then redirected its plans from constructing its own team to becoming a works engine supplier, ending Verstappen's involvement. A test for Jordan as a potential replacement for Damon Hill produced an underwhelming result and came to nothing.
Verstappen rejoined Arrows for 2000. The car had good straight-line speed and a small fuel tank that kept it lighter than rivals, but proved unreliable. At the wet/dry Canadian Grand Prix he drove into fifth place for his first championship points since 1996. He scored a strong fourth at Monza. For 2001, Asiatech engines replaced the Supertec units. Highlights included running second at Sepang after starting eighteenth, and scoring the team's only point of the year — sixth at the A1-Ring. At Interlagos he ran into the back of leader Juan Pablo Montoya just after being lapped. He re-signed for 2002 but was dropped at the eleventh hour in favour of Heinz-Harald Frentzen.
Verstappen completed his Formula One career with Minardi in 2003. The team was under-funded with underpowered engines and his best result was ninth at the Canadian Grand Prix. At the French Grand Prix he recorded Minardi's only provisional pole position of the season by running last on a rapidly drying track in the first qualifying session; in the dry second session he qualified at the back. He was largely outperformed by rookie teammate Justin Wilson. At the season's end he chose not to continue with the team.
Over 107 Grands Prix Verstappen scored 17 championship points, making him the second-highest-scoring Dutch Formula One driver, exceeded only by Max Verstappen. His best qualifying position was sixth at the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix.
Verstappen drove for A1 Team Netherlands in the 2005–06 A1 Grand Prix season, winning the feature race at Durban — his sole victory in the series. In September 2006 he split with the team over unpaid salary, replaced by Jeroen Bleekemolen for the opening round of the following season at Zandvoort.
In 2008 Verstappen contested the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 class, driving a Porsche RS Spyder for Van Merksteijn Motorsport alongside team owner Peter van Merksteijn Sr. and Bleekemolen (at Le Mans only). He won the 1000km Catalunya and 1000km Spa, finished second at the 1000km Monza, and won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Victory at the 1000km Nürburgring clinched both the LMP2 Drivers' title for Verstappen and the LMP2 Manufacturers' title for Van Merksteijn Motorsport. He returned to Le Mans in 2009 in a Lola-Aston Martin.
Verstappen contested the 2022 Ypres Rally as an independent entrant and has competed in the European Rally Championship since 2025.
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