F1’s newest star takes it to the max

OK, he probably wouldn’t have managed it if Rosberg & Hamilton hadn’t wound up in a gravel trap, but Max Verstappen bagged his first Formula 1 win last weekend. At the age of 18.

I remember being pretty obsessed about things that meant a lot to me when I was 18. Getting into my ultra-skinny jeans took a lot of time, and getting out of them required degrees of skill and concentration that probably should have gained my some kind of award.

Then there was the styling mousse. Back when I had luxurious locks, I was carrying around enough highly flammable material on my head that a stray spark could have taken out a small town.

By the time he reached 18, ridiculously youthful Formula 1 star Max had already got nearly a full year of motor racing at the top level under his belt. At which point he was old enough to take his driving test.

Racing since he was four and a half years old, Max appeared in F1 last year to a barrage of criticism about his age. There were some unforced errors, but also some startling displays of skill and confidence.

With a sudden switch from Red Bull’s junior team to the top one after just 4 races this year, and up against a tough team-mate, it was assumed he’d struggle a bit in his first outing in an unfamiliar car.

After title protagonists Nico Rosberg and out-of-luck Lewis Hamilton disappeared dramatically in a cloud of dust, bits of broken car and acrimony, we were presented with a scintillating and tense battle between four drivers – two world champions, one proven race winner and Max, who hadn’t even been on the podium before (and may have had issues with underage drinking if he had).

As different tyre strategies played out, Max found himself in the lead, but never more than a few seconds ahead of his rivals. A tiny mistake – running slightly wide, a brief lock-up – would have seen him applauded widely for bagging a place on the podium, but he stayed calm and inch-perfect under enormous pressure.

Crossing the line, he became F1’s youngest winner ever, scoring more points in under two hours than his dad, ex F1-racer Jos, managed in his entire career.

It seems unlikely that his youthful record will be beaten, too. After his entry into the big time last year, the sport’s governing body raised the minimum age for a racing licence to 18. Anyone wanting to beat Max’s record will have 227 days, presuming they hop in the car and start their first race on their birthday.

What next for the teenager then? He beat former World Champion Kimi Raikkonen, twice his age, to the chequered flag, and whilst a championship run seems highly unlikely this season, he could easily have 15 years in which to win the ultimate prize.

Judging from last Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, who’s to say he won’t manage that multiple times?

Is he talented? To the Max.

This post first appeared as my "Thank grumpy it's Friday" column, in the North West Evening Mail, on the 20th of May 2016. The paper dropped "newest" from the title. probably to keep it to 2 lines!

Genuinely was an edge-of-the-seat race, after a jaw-dropping first lap. It'll be interesting to see what Max can manage this weekend in Monaco - lest we forget, he had a major fumble last year, going into the back of someone, immediately followed by a sizable meet'n'greet with the barriers. Lesson learnt?

(CD A-Z interrupted for some new ones I received as birthday presents, including the one currently occupying the cans: a-ha's "Stay On These Roads" 2CD deluxe edition. Listening to disc 2, where Morten appears to have forgotten the words to The Living Daylights...)

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