Max Verstappen: 10 moments of F1 brilliance of the Dutch driver

Max Verstappen is on course, just about, for his fourth consecutive Formula 1 title. The Dutchman is still only 27 years old yet will go down as a great of Formula 1, even if he quit racing today. Let’s take a look at his greatest moments as an F1 racer.

Max’s talent was always obvious to those in the know, but few expected him to debut in the 2015 season, aged 17 years and three days. Verstappen broke the record for youngest driver ever during his debut, even if he was unable to complete the race as part of Red Bull’s sister team, Toro Rosso.

Verstappen was just 18 years, 228 days old when he won his F1 race. Taking over from Daniil Kvyat for Red Bull, Verstappen held off Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari to win his first Formula 1 race.

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2023 may have been the most dominant season we have ever seen in Formula 1, with Red Bull producing a car far quicker than any other on the grid. Perhaps the most startling example of Max’s dominance came during the Italian Grand Prix, when Max completed his 10th consecutive win.

Mercedes dominated the 2019 season, but Max was still able to achieve his first pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix, finishing 0.018 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas, per F1 Oversteer, to claim his first pole position.

Verstappen started in sixth place at the 2023 Grand Prix and still won by over 22 seconds from his teammate Sergio Perez. Lewis Hamilton described his race as like, “he is having a smoke and a pancake,” per The Independent. It was utter dominance.

2022 saw Max see off the challenge of Ferrari to win his second consecutive World Championship. It all happened in slightly bizarre circumstances at the Suzuka International Racing Course, as drivers and officials were unsure if full points were being awarded due to a rain-affected race. If they weren’t Max would’ve had to wait to be crowned. As it was, full points were on offer, and Max claimed back-to-back titles.

According to F1 Oversteer, Verstappen’s qualifying performance at last year’s Japan Grand Prix was the largest margin ever at the Suzuka racecourse. Max finished 0.581s faster than anyone else on the grid, with team principal Christian Horner telling Sky Sports F1, “I think what we’ve witnessed today is something very special, to be honest,” after Q3.

Verstappen and Red Bull were showing signs of life in 2019 after years of playing catch up to Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. It wasn’t even to challenge for the title, but it did signal what was to come, especially the Germany Grand Prix, where Max span his car yet still recovered to win in some of the wettest conditions you will see at a Formula 1 race.

Verstappen had issues with his power unit during qualifying, leaving him in 10th place to start the race. He battled back to take the lead before spinning out, forcing him to earn the lead back, which he did with his usual ruthlessness. Max told his team, “It feels crazy to have won the race today from P10, especially on a track like this where it's very hard to pass,” after the race, per the Red Bull website.

There is little doubting the controversy around the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with safety car shenanigans allowing Max to overtake Lewis Hamilton late in the race to claim victory and his first World Championship. Despite the controversy, Max was never at fault and saw his opportunity and took it. Devastation for Hamilton, delight for Verstappen.

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