Max Verstappen: the teenage star rocketing to the top

Following the announcement that Max Verstappen will replace Daniil Kvyat at Red Bull for the remainder of the season, the 18-year-old said he was “very proud” to be joining the four-time world champions in only his second year in F1.

“The next step in my relatively short career so far, is an amazing opportunity,” read a statement on the Dutchman’s website. “I’ll have the chance to learn a lot from the top team that is Red Bull Racing. I’m also looking forward to work with an experienced and proven team mate like Daniel Ricciardo.

“Together with Red Bull Racing we’ll do everything to prepare me as best as possible for my first laps in the RB12 Tag Heuer, next week in Barcelona. I cannot wait for that special moment to happen.”

Describing his career so far as “relatively short” is something of an understatement. Verstappen has leapt from one level to the next at an astonishing pace; a rate matched only by his speed around a racetrack.

Consider these facts. Verstappen only stepped up from karting three years ago. Within four months of racing in Formula 3, he was offered a place on the F1 grid. He completed 14 grands prix before passing his driving test, and to date has started only a few dozen single-seater races since his 16^th birthday.

The development of his career – which, granted, has been promoted and nourished by father Jos – at such an early age speaks volumes for his tremendous talent and potential.

Red Bull will soon be introducing an engine upgrade said to be worth half a second per lap, which, if true, could see them challenging for regular podiums come the end of the season.

With that kind of performance on the horizon, who’s going to bet against Verstappen grabbing his first win before the year is out?

Based on his track record, that suggestion is now a distinct possibility...

Verstappen’s first grand prix, eight months on from the announcement that he would race for Toro Rosso following a successful stint in Formula 3. Aged 17 years and 166, he broke Jamie Alguersuari’s youngest driver record by nearly two years.

New FIA rules state that drivers must be at least 18 before they can compete in F1, meaning that Verstappen’s record will never be broken unless the regulations change again.

Qualifying in sixth, Verstappen went on to secure seventh in the race: his first ever points finish in F1. A retirement on his debut had prevented fans from assessing his potential. This result proved he was capable of racing at the highest level.

On the back of some tasty overtakes at the start of the season, Verstappen hit his first blip in Monaco. Specifically, he hit Lotus’s Romain Grosjean under braking into Turn 1, his first big mistake since coming to the attention of the motorsport world.

Luckily, his confidence wasn’t damaged, though the same could not be said of his car...

A crazy race with some crazy results, among which was Verstappen’s fourth place finish, 19 seconds shy of the podium. While the situation unravelled for frontrunners Mercedes, Max kept his cool amongst the chaos with a mature drive from lights out to the chequered flag. It remains his joint-best finish to date.

If the Dutchman hadn’t earned a reputation for overtaking by the time the F1 circus arrived in Spa, he certainly had one by the time it departed.

Max squeezed alongside Sauber’s Felipe Nasr in the 185mph Blanchimont, an area of the track where few would ever dream of making a move. But the rookie did it anyway, and made the move stick too. No wonder it won TG’s ‘Most Jaw-Dropping Overtake’ award last year...

Praised for his maturity throughout 2015, his professionalism was finally called into question in Singapore when he reacted angrily to a request to allow Carlos Sainz to pass so the Spaniard could attack a rival on fresher tyres.

Sainz had obliged with a similar team order earlier in the season, and many saw it as double standards on Verstappen’s part. The teenager claimed his dad would have “kicked me in the nuts” had he followed the command...

Another topsy-turvy grand prix where Verstappen finished best of the rest in fourth. The difference from Hungary was that he had to negotiate the added challenge of rain in the first half of the race, with the downpour falling from the tail end of a hurricane no less. Verstappen didn’t just cope, he excelled.

The start of Verstappen’s second season in F1, although tenth wasn’t the result he was after. The Toro Rosso looked like the third fastest car during testing, but this pace didn’t translate into the opening race of 2016.

In the final few laps, Verstappen lost his cool and clipped the back of teammate Carlos Sainz who was ahead of him in ninth. Max was forced to back off, licking his wounds in the process. He still has a lot to learn...

And that learning curve just got a whole lot steeper. Verstappen faces a frantic week in preparation for the Spanish Grand Prix, where he will make his debut for Red Bull alongside Daniel Ricciardo.

The team was forced to promote Daniil Kvyat in 2015 when in hindsight it was probably too early for the Russian. Could the same be true of the teenage sensation? Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and co seem to think it’s worth the risk.