Verstappen puts private jet up for sale after buying all-new Falcon 8X and yacht

Reigning Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is selling his private jet, with the model being put up for sale on Dassault Falcon’s official website. 

After it was confirmed that the Dutchman bought a new jet, a Dassault Falcon 8X reportedly valued at around $58 million, his outgoing Falcon 900EX is looking for a new home. The 900 is a long-range jet, purchased by the four-time champion in 2020 from Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson. Quickly, the Flying Dutchman adorned it with his famous matte black paintjob with its orange striping and his iconic lion badging. 

Taking the driver to every race of the 2021 F1 season, the jet certainly racked up its fair share of miles at 51,000 feet. With a top speed of 528 mph, it can do this pretty quickly, too. The renovated cabin can accommodate 12 passengers (that’s including Lando Norris), and features a bar and seats than can be folded into a bed. What it doesn’t include is a sim-racing setup, as the owner himself confirmed early 2023. That’s going in the motorhome instead.

The upgrade was confirmed earlier this year. The 8X is 15% more economical and has a larger range, boasting 11,945 km on a single tank compared to 8,336 km of his old faithful.

This hasn’t been Verstappen’s only recent luxury purchase. Closer to New Year, the driver purchased a new yacht in Italy. Both the Red Bull driver and partner Kelly Piquet were spotted in the Overmarine shipyard, where they sailed off with a 33-metre Mangusta Gransport 33. Not a bad way to celebrate four-consecutive championship wins, huh?

This has been two years in the making and named Unleash the Lion by its new owners, it boasts just as many features as the jet: a sundeck, space for 12 guests plus three cabins for staff, and a beach club at the rear of the boat if its owners fancy a bit of a swim. Setting Verstappen back an estimated $15 million, he will be wanting to enjoy the boat this year.  

Verstappen will be hoping to ignite the jet engines tomorrow as he starts alongside Lewis Hamilton in the Chinese sprint race. While he’s wary of an attack from the two McLarens sat in fourth and sixth, he’s looking forward to some brilliant racing.