How old was Max Verstappen when he started in F1? The Red Bull driver is the youngest driver to ever race in Formula One. Here’s the record he still holds today.
Dutchman Max Verstappen looks like Lewis Hamilton’s closest rival for the Formula One World Championship in 2021.
Verstappen starts in P2 at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday but will be looking to take maximum points from the weekend.
Here’s how old Max Verstappen was when he first entered F1.
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How old was Max Verstappen when he started F1?
The son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen and karting mum Sophie Kumpen, Max Verstappen is already one of the veterans of Formula One.
The 23 year-old has been on the grid for seven years and has established himself as one of the quickest drivers in F1.
At just 17 years and 166 days, Max Verstappen officially became the youngest driver in Formula 1 history, replacing Daniel Kvyat for Toro Rosso in 2015 at the Australian GP.
It was a mixed race for Verstappen, who started on the grid in P12.
However, on lap 34 of the race his Renault engine burst into flames and he was forced to retired.
At the very next race in Malaysia, Max finished P7 and became the youngest ever points scorer in Formula 1, which is still true to this day.
F1’s youngest points scorer soon became its youngest race winner – at the age of 18 years and 228 days – on his debut for Red Bull in Barcelona 2016.
Over the course of the next five seasons Max achieved several more race victories, finishing the 2019 and 2020 championships in third place.
Verstappen is due to remain at Red Bull until the end of the 2023 season after signing a contract extension.
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Max Verstappen 2021 salary
Lewis Hamilton leads the way with a reported annual salary of $30 million.
The next highest earner on the grid is Max Verstappen, who will earn a reported $21 million with Red Bull in 2021.
