Max Verstappen put down the marks of his brilliance in his first-ever season with Red Bull. Aside from his maiden win in Spain at the age of 18, Verstappen had several memorable moments, including a brilliant wet-weather drive in Sao Paolo, where he made a brilliant overtake on Nico Rosberg. Verstappen, however, did not hold on to the moment for long and was tired of talking about it very soon.
In Abu Dhabi later that year, Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle asked Verstappen if he was “fed up” talking about his performance in Brazil. The Dutchman replied, “ Maybe a little bit. I’ve talked a lot about it but that’s a part of it.”
Brundle and Verstappen still discussed some of the overtakes from the race, and his move on Rosberg came up. An 18-year-old Verstappen spoke about trying different lines in the wet conditions while others were sticking to the norm. After a while, the safety car came out, following which Verstappen found a golden opportunity to pass the German driver.
Verstappen / Rosberg
Brazil – 2016#F1 https://t.co/unCg0KRBjv pic.twitter.com/sHZllrUgdt
— F1 History (@TodayF1History) December 26, 2023
Going outside on turn three, Verstappen made an overtake which was left the paddock open-mouthed. On a dry day, it would have taken something special to complete the move, but Verstappen managed it in the wets.
It was this race and move that solidified Verstappen as a future World Champion material. However, this brilliance did not do wonders to his reputation back in the day.
Verstappen’s aggressive driving is often seen as reckless
Verstappen, early in his career, would make several bold moves that some saw as fearless. Others, however, had called him out for being too aggressive as the Red Bull driver would often crash his car.
Over the years, however, the number of incidents started to go down and Verstappen got more mature on track. He was still a fierce competitor but knew how to get the better of opponents without endangering his race. Learning from mistakes and improving is something the 26-year-old still believes in, and he has similar advice for youngsters on the cusp of entering F1.
As Red Bull started getting better, Verstappen’s sheer aggressiveness coupled with his talent won him the 2021 World Championship. Following that, he won two more Titles, which made him one of F1’s greatest ever.
