F1 News
Verstappen celebrates its Birthday: Chance of youngest world champion looks lost
- GPblog.com
It is time for a party in Monaco, because Max Verstappen is celebrating his 23rd birthday today. The extent to which the driver of Red Bull Racing can celebrate his birthday is, of course, questionable due to all the measures taken against the corona virus.
A unique combination
Max Verstappen has been involved in karting from an early age. His father Jos gave him a big boost and his mother Sophie Kumpen was one of the best in karting. This is how Max rolls in the sport, which quickly shows that he has a lot of talent in karting.
After karting, Verstappen makes the switch to Formula cars and he gets the chance to join the Van Amersfoort Formula 3 team. Verstappen wins 10 races and with that most of everyone, but has to make do with a third place in the standings due to a lot of cancellations. However, Helmut Marko has already seen enough and brings the Netherlands to Formula 1 after one year in the formula cars.
Formula 1 debut
With a test at Suzuka in 2014, Verstappen is already the youngest driver ever in Formula 1 and when he starts a year later for the Australian Grand Prix he will also be the youngest driver ever at the start of a race. For Toro Rosso he will also soon score points and he will make a big impression with his overtaking.
In 2016 Verstappen will have the chance of a lifetime if he is allowed to switch to Red Bull Racing after four races. After the Russian Grand Prix, Daniil Kvyat will be put back and the Dutchman will have the chance. He doesn't let that chance go to waste and in a chaotic race in which the two leaders shoot off the track, Verstappen immediately takes the victory in Spain and becomes the youngest race winner as well.
The world title
It will not stop at that one victory, because in the years to come, Verstappen will continue to impress, and for many it is no longer a question of whether Verstappen will become world champion, but when? That question is still there, however, because since his move to Red Bull, Verstappen has been with a top team, but his team has never built a car with which he can really compete for the world title.
In 2020, Verstappen is closer than ever, but once again the title seems to have been awarded to Lewis Hamilton. This is the last chance to be the youngest world champion ever to be lost, but not saddened. Hamilton didn't take that title at the age of Vettel either, but eventually managed to win many more titles. Verstappen will soon have to be in the right place and then it's up to him to win that title.