Max Verstappen Living Up to Ayrton Senna Comparisons with Spanish Grand Prix Win

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 15, 2016

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In the 1990s, there were 10 first-time Formula One grand prix winners. In the 2000s, there were 14. This decade, at least until Sunday, there had only been three: Nico Rosberg, Pastor Maldonado and Daniel Ricciardo.

Red Bull and Mercedes (and, more specifically, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton) have largely dominated the 2010s, leaving precious little room for newcomers to break into the exclusive club of grand prix winners, which numbers only 106 over the the 66-year history of F1.

But at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, 18-year-old Max Verstappen did just that, also setting the record as the youngest race winner in the sport's history.

Yes, it took a double-retirement from the championship-leading Mercedes team to set up Verstappen's victory, but forget that for a moment. What we witnessed on a mild spring afternoon in the hills outside Barcelona was a masterful drive by a crafty veteran...not a teenager in his first race with a new team.

In a sport growing weary of win after win from the Silver Arrows, Verstappen's triumph provides a reminder of what F1 is at its best: tense, unpredictable and brilliant.

Back in 2014, after Verstappen had just signed with Toro Rosso for the following season, Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko compared him to Ayrton Senna, per the official F1 website.

That comment, and Red Bull's decision to sign such an inexperienced driver to their sister team, were met with skepticism and derision in some quarters.

Now, Marko looks like a soothsayer.



Promoted to the main Red Bull team just 10 days before the Barcelona race, Verstappen adapted to the increased pressure and exposure immediately, as he has throughout his brief career.

No previous car racing experience? No problem—he finished third in his first (and only) season of Formula Three. Too young for F1? No problem—he scored points in his second ra...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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