Max wins Spanish GP on Red Bull debut: "Amazing"
Published on 15 May 2016 by Stefan Meens
Max Verstappen made history by becoming the youngest ever Grand Prix winner. The 18-year-old youngster took the victory in the Spanish Grand Prix in his first race driving for Red Bull Racing. Max also became the first Dutch Formula 1 race winner after keeping both Ferraris behind in a thrilling Grand Prix.
“It feels incredible to win it, I can't believe it”, explains Max after hearing the Dutch national anthem from the top step of the podium. “It was an incredible race and I have to thank the team for an amazing car they've given me. To immediately win my first race for Red Bull Racing feels awesome.”
Looking back on the race, Max said: “It was a great one, the strategy was good and we were able to manage the tyres. To keep getting the lead and then to win the race is incredible. I still can't believe it. My dad has helped me so much in my career to achieve this, it's amazing!”
Max starts the Spanish Grand Prix from fourth on the grid, next to his team mate Daniel Ricciardo and the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. When the lights go out, Max has a good start. Nevertheless, Sebastian Vettel passes the Dutchman into the first corner. Max retaliates straight away with a swooping move around the outside of Vettel into turn 3, a high speed right hander.
At the very front, it all goes wrong for Mercedes. Hamilton, who lost the lead after starting from pole, is eager to re-pass Rosberg into turn 4. The world champion ends up on the grass before loosing control of his car, He crashes into race leader Rosberg, taking both Mercs out of the race after just four corners.
The Red Bulls make to most of the situation with Daniel Ricciardo leading, followed by Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz in the sister team's Scuderia Toro Rosso. The spaniard is able to keep the Ferraris behind for a handful of laps before Vettel and Raikkonen have a clear track ahead to hunt down both Red Bulls.
Daniel Ricciardo is the first of the front runners to make a pit stop, handing the race lead, for the first time in his F1 career, to Max. The next lap sees the number 33 pit for fresh medium Pirellis. Max rejoins the race in second, still ahead of both Ferraris.
The second stint features Max, Ricciardo and Vettel racing together, all separated by a second. For a moment it appears a safety car could be deployed after Nico Hulkenberg's car breaks down. Race control decides yellow flags will do and the race between the three front runners continues.
Daniel Ricciardo is once again the first to pit for new tyres. The Australian visits his team in lap 28, again giving the lead to Max. The Dutchman opts to stay out longer and pits seven laps later. He rejoins the race on mediums, whereas Ricciardo and Vettel have switched to the soft Pirellis. It means the latter duo still have to come in for new tyres, whereas Max and Kimi, who is on the same strategy as the Red Bull ace, can finish the race on their set of mediums.
In lap 38, Vettel makes his final stop, switching to medium, and rejoins in fourth behind Raikkonen, Max and race leader Ricciardo. The latter pits a final time in lap 44. Max takes the lead, followed closely by Raikkonen.
The final twenty laps end up in a tense duel between Max and Raikkonen for the race victory and Vettel and Ricciardo for the final spot on the podium. Ricciardo closes the gap to Vettel due to fresher tyres and tries several times to overtake his old team mate. In lap 59, they nearly collide after the Australian dives up the inside of the Ferrari heading into the first corner. Nevertheless, both drivers stay on track with Vettel holding on to third.
Ricciardo tries once more to overtake the German into the same corner but a couple of laps before the end, the Red Bull driver suffers a puncture, ending his bid for the podium.
At the very front, Max is able to withstand the continuous pressure mounted by Raikkonen to claim his first Grand Prix victory. Not only is he the youngest race leader and winner in the history of Formula 1, he is also the first Dutchman to occupy the top step of the podium.
Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - Sunday 15 May
RESULTS SPANISH GRAND PRIX P Driver Team Time 1 Max Verstappen NED Red Bull 1:41:40.017 2 Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari +0.616s 3 Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari +5.581s 4 Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull +43.950s 5 Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams +45.271s 6 Carlos Sainz ESP Toro Rosso +61.395s 7 Sergio Perez MEX Force India +79.538s 8 Felipe Massa BRA Williams +80.707s 9 Jenson Button GBR McLaren +1 lap 10 Daniil Kvyat RUS Toro Rosso +1 lap 11 Esteban Gutierrez MEX Haas +1 lap 12 Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber +1 lap 13 Jolyon Palmer GBR Renault +1 lap 14 Kevin Magnussen DEN Renault +1 lap 15 Felipe Nasr BRA Sauber +1 lap 16 Pascal Wehrlein GER Manor +1 lap 17 Rio Haryanto INA Manor +1 lap NC Romain Grosjean FRA Haas DNF NC Fernando Alonso ESP McLaren DNF NC Nico Hulkenberg GER Force India DNF NC Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes DNF NC Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes DNF
