This guy (son of ex-F1 Driver Jos Verstappen) deserves some attention here. He just turned 16 years old, but this kid is definitely something else.
In 2005 at the age of 7 he begins karting in the Belgium MiniClass Championship. He wins it. In the year following he drives the same class again. Dry races, wet races... it doesn't matter. 21 Races, 21 Wins.
In 2007 he enters the Rotax Max Mini class. 18 Races. 18 Wins.
In 2008 (10 years old) he enters 3 championships: Rotax Max Mini class: 18 Races, 16 wins. BeNeLux chamionship (Rotax Max Mini): 12 races, 11 wins. Cadetclass: 11 races, 11 wins.
Because of his age he is not allowed to go to faster classes, so in 2009 he drives the same championships as in 2008. 42 Races. 39 Wins. 3 Championship titles.
In 2010 he is 12 years old and allowed to go international. He drives multiple series in the KF3 class as a works driver for CRG and becomes European Champion.
In 2011 he drives the same championships as before (again age won't allow him to go higher up) and is again crowned EU Champ, dispite missing a weekend because of a back injury.
In 2012 he enters the KF2, KF1 and KZ2 (manual gearbox) classes. He shows amazing speed, but fails to deliver results with lots of mechanical issues and crashes.
2013 Is a different story however. He becomes World Champion in the KZ and European Champion in both KZ and KF. He wins almost everything he enters.
Now being quick in a kart doesn't always mean you're quick in a racecar as well, that's always something that has to be seen.
And so he went testing a Formula Renault 2.0 at the age of 15 (and later 16) a few times last month.
First he drives some privat tests for Manor GP and Koiranen. He goes quicker than any (experienced) driver ever did for those teams. Then he enters tests where other (more experienced) drivers participate in:
Hungaroring:
28/29 okt 2013: 1st (Breaks the official lap record)
Spa-Francorchamps (wet):
04 nov 2013: 1st
05 nov 2013: 1st
Circuit de Catalunya:
12 nov 2013: 1st
13 nov 2013: 1st. (Breaks the official lap record)
He will enter the FR2.0 championship next year, but it's still unknown with what team. He is not in any kind of 'talent program', so he's a free man.
This CV at the age of 15/16 is unknown. I'm really excited to see what he'll do in the FR2.0 next year.
As a Dutchman I hope he has more luck getting sponsorships than Frijns has. But if there's one guy who can win the FR2.0 and FR3.5 titles on the throt like Frijns did, it's gotta be Max.
Edited by JeePee, 15 December 2013 - 23:33.