Current Max Verstappen

2015 sees the arrival of the youngest driver ever to sit in an F1 car. Max Verstappen was born on 30th September 1997 and, assuming he makes the grid in Australia, will only be 17 years and 167 days, beating Jaime Alguersuaris' record by 1 year and 323 days (assuming my maths is correct).

How can such a young man be ready for F1? As the son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen Max started racing karts at 4½ years old. In 2006 he won the Belgian Minimax Championship in the KF5 category and in 2007 he won both the Dutch and Belgian titles as well as the Belgian Cadet Championship.

In 2009 he won the KF5 Flemish Championship and moved up to International Karting. In 2010 Max finished 2nd in the KF3 World Cup, won the Euro Series and the WSK World Series. In 2011 he again won the WSK World Series and moved up the KF2 class winning the WSK Master Series and the South Garda Winter Cup in 2012. In 2013, at 15 years of age, Verstappen won the World KZ Championship, which is highest level of karting.

For 2014 Max moved up to European Formula 3. He finished 3rd in the Championship winning 10 of the 33 races, more than those who finished above him in the title race. Max was recruited into the Red Bull Young Driver Programme in August 2014 and only 6 days later was announced as one of the drivers for Toro Rosso in F1 for 2015. Apparently he was also being courted by Mercedes for their young driver programme so you have to wonder how much the pull of an F1 seat at Toro Rosso drove the decision to go with Red Bull.

Having already taken part in 3 Friday sessions as a test driver Max Verstappen is the youngest person ever to take part in a Grand Prix weekend. If he acquits himself well during 2015 many will say it is an inspired decision. If he turns into a mobile chicane or treats F1 like a destruction derby I'm sure many questions will be asked as to why someone not even old enough to qualify for a driving licence in his home country is allowed to get behind the wheel of a car at the pinnacle of motorsport.

Future Champion? One season (or even one race) wonder? 2015 will be very interesting for Max Verstappen.

 

[Il_leone]

we've not seen both of them racing hard with each other

There could be fireworks this season

 

[gethinceri]

I'm yet to jump on the Max is the next best thing bandwaggon so the fact his thread is disdainfully miss-spelled is ace.

 

[RasputinLives]

You can never be too sure on quotes in internet articles but if I've read this correctly Verstappen is saying that issues with the team having to give out team orders are not relevent because he is "usually miles ahead".

Carlos Sainz-Max Verstappen: The new Nico Rosberg-Lewis Hamilton?

I never really jumped on the Max bandwagon but this weekend has really put me off him.

 

[gethinceri]

I think he's aiming to be in the sights of Merc or Ferrari for next season, he's a great prospect but needs a bit of time to learn how to manage himself. No-one gets on through effectively saying "get this chump out of the way, he's crap and you bunch of arseholes are a bunch of arseholes" but this early in this season I guess he wants to get a few early punches into Sainz' (who is also a very good prospect btw) midriff.

 

[Titch]

I've jumped on the Sainz band wagon , I can't stand sulky teenagers who think the world (in this case team) owe them the top spot. He needs to learn that he has to earn the top spot, or to be out in front, through his own skill. He also has to learn that he will not earn public respect, by churlish, sulky behaviour when interviewed.

 

[siffert_fan]

When someone today states that F1 cars are too easy to drive and that current drivers are prima donas, all they have to do is mention Max, and their statement becomes rather difficult to refute.

If I were a Team Principal, I would go for Sainz LONG before I would go for Max. I fully suspect that Max will be an unsettling influence at any team he goes to, since he clearly believes that he should be allotted Number One status wherever he goes, just because he is who he is.

 

[Spinodontosaurus]

Sainz is an odd one. People get the impression he has been closely matched with Verstappen, which to an extent is true. Verstappen is now ahead 9-8 in qualifying (not counting races where one of them didn't set a time due to mechanical failures), with Sainz ahead 6-5 in races (excluding mechanical DNFs).

But last year Verstappen was way ahead in points, Sainz suffered more mechanical DNFs but even if you account for that by using a points-per-race metric Verstappen still comes out way ahead (3.06 vs. 1.50 points per race). I don't know what to make of that, I get the impression it's because Verstappen made the most out of the big points opportunities that came around whilst Sainz did not.

Sainz was also the one making lots of rookie errors, Verstappen made some too but to a lesser extent (or at least it felt that way). Given how vastly less experienced Verstappen is he is clearly the better prospect, given the option you would be mad to pick Sainz over Verstappen. We also don't know where the pair actually stand relative to the rest of the grid but that's a different matter.
I hope Verstappen reigns in his attitude before he reaches a top team though.

 

[Hamberg]

Aggressive, confident, ballsy, pulls off great moves, throws a few tantrums, sense of entitlement... Remind you of anyone???

I happen to think both STR drivers are very talented with Verstsppen only helping get Sainz noticed. Im looking forward to the next generation.

 

[siffert_fan]

If bloodlines mean anything, Sainz will have it all over Max.

I also suspect that Sainz will be much better than Max at developing a car. Even in this computer-dependent age, that counts for a lot.

Max's attitude might be all well and good if you are a bottom-feeder team (ala Manor etc) where he will be coming in as the obvious number one, but in any established team where he is arriving as a development project, I suspect that his ego will be a HUGE liability and disruption.

 

[Slyboogy]

Spinodontosaurus that's skewed due to the fact the both 4th places Verstappen achieved in the topsy turvy races, (which fairplay to him), one where Sainz was actually in a good position but had to retire.

Sainz had 7 DNFs compared to Verstappen's 4 and that's when he was in good points positions.

Otherwise it was close between them, but with Verstappen coming out ahead.

 

[Benmausgof1]

What's the general consensus on Max's performance in Australia?

I was impressed with his ability to maintain pace with Hamilton biting his rear early on, however I was disappointed to see his overbearing attitude towards the end of the race.

It was exciting to see Verstappen, Seinz, and Palmer battling. To my understanding STR was allowing a team overtake, Verstappen couldn't do it. So why all the fussing over the radio?

 

[RasputinLives]

Welcome to the site Benmausgof1

I think Max's pace and the pace of the Torro Rosso in general was pretty good and they lost out by not sticking the mediums on. Any race where you hit your team mate and have a sulk on the radio can't be rated as a good one though!

 

[Greenlantern101]

He has a huge potential, he is clearly a very good driver, maybe even world champion material, time will tell.
But if he is going to fulfil his potential he needs to rein in his outbursts. Throwing your toys out the pram and hitting your team mate when you feel hard done by is not going to get you a drive in a top team.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Throwing your toys out the pram and hitting your team mate when you feel hard done by is not going to get you a drive in a top team.

Do you mean that in a metaphorical sense or have I missed something and Max got out the car at the end of the race and clobbered Carlos?

 

[Greenlantern101]

He crash into Carlos and damaged his front wing.

 

[RasputinLives]

Yeah and it was pure blind anger as well as there was no way he was gettign through. Was a bit silly but I notice how the team haven't come out and said anything about it.

You can bet that if Carlos had clobbered Max during a race like that Franz Tost would have been all over him.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Right, with you now. I thought for one second he'd smacked Carlos in the chops. He's certainly lost a few fans after his outbursts in Australia but no doubt as many more will be drawn in by the blood and guts attitude. It's always difficult to criticise a driver for being his own man because for so long we complained about the corporate robots that appeared in front of the microphones each week. That being said, Max did come across as a complete prat in Australia which ever way you slice the pie.

 

[The Pits]

The tolerance to petulance is proportional to Performance and competence.

A lot will be tolerated whilst delivery is assured.

Max has not yet reached the stage where he can be assured of tolerance for his behaviour imho, so should "dial it back a few notches" without removing it entirely, as personally, sometimes these traits are what turns talent in to success.

 

[RasputinLives]

There is a difference between being determined and your own man and just being an idiot.

 

[KekeTheKing]

You can bet that if Carlos had clobbered Max during a race like that Franz Tost would have been all over him.

The incident didn't affect Sainz' race whatsoever.

And the fact that Max was able to catch that group up after spinning should say something about how much speed he had in hand.

I'm not saying he was correct in his tone on the radio though.