Honda’s first Formula 1 World Championship Title for 30 years

The Dutchman, now 24, made his debut in 2015, when he was just 17 years old, making him the youngest ever driver to start a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Even back then, he was already tipped for greatness. In 2019, he won the Austrian Grand Prix, to give Honda its first win in the current hybrid era. So far this season, Verstappen has won 10 races, starting with the second round, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, also taking victory in the historic race around the streets of Monaco, as well as his home Grand Prix on F1’s return to Zandvoort.

 “It feels incredible to be World Champion and I couldn’t have asked for a more insane last race of the year. It was a bit of a rollercoaster, from not really having a chance of winning until the last lap, everything came together, and we had to go for it. I kept saying to myself, I am just going to give it my all and I have until the end and that is what we did. Of course, with that safety car restart in the last lap we had the fresher tires but you still need to do the move – luckily it worked out,” said the young Max Verstappen

“I want to say a big thank to Checo, because of his performance today, I won the Championship, he was driving his heart out for this Team. Today showed exactly what great teamwork is, he's an amazing teammate. Mercedes won the Constructors’ and we won the Driver’s Championship so it really shows that throughout the whole year we pushed each other to the very end. Lewis is an amazing driver, there is no discussion about it. Of course, we had our moments throughout the season but I think you know that after everything we had an amazing fight this season and I think both teams gave it their all,” he added.

“I said it was going to need something from the racing Gods in the last ten laps and thank goodness for that safety car. It has been a great competition this season and for Max to win the World Championship, it is not just about the race here, it is about the whole year and how incredible and consistent he has been as a driver. All credit to Lewis too, he has been a phenomenal opponent all year and a great World Champion, he has been formidable and that is what makes it even more of a monumental achievement to win this. This Championship came down to the last lap and it was a great strategy call by the Team to make that pit stop onto the set of softs and then it was down to Max to make it happen, which he did in typical Max style. I was screaming from turn five all the way down that back straight. He got the job done,” noted Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing Honda.

Max Verstappen was born on September 30, 1997 and he is of Dutch origin. In 2014 he came 3rd in FIA European Formula 3 Championship and in 2015 made his debut in F1 racing as the youngest F1 driver ever (17 years and 165 days). He came 12th in Formula One Drivers Championship. In 2016 he came 5th in Formula One Drivers Championship and had his first win in Rd.5 in Spain which also marked the youngest win in F1 history. He was 18 years and 228 days old. In 2017, he came 6^th, then 4^th in 2018 and 3^rd in 2019 Formula One Drivers Championship. He won in Rd.9 in Austria which marked his 1st win for Honda in Hybrid Era. In 2020, he came in 3rd in Formula One Drivers Championship and now in 2021 he has become the Formula One World Driver’s Champion.