Max Verstappen is currently the most sought-after figure in the elite of car racing! Helmut Marko, a senior advisor at Red Bull, recently shared information on how Red Bull decided to allow Verstappen to participate in the free practice session in Suzuka in 2014, in order to evaluate his potential. Marko was well aware of Verstappen’s exceptional talent and saw this as the perfect opportunity to test him.
At the tender age of 17 and just three days, Verstappen participated in the free practice session in Suzuka. His talent was widely recognized, even by Mercedes, who could not guarantee him direct entry into Formula 1 at that time. However, Red Bull saw his potential and in 2014, the Austrian team announced the signing of Verstappen as a Toro Rosso driver in 2015.
Discussing the moment when Red Bull decided to give Verstappen a chance, Marko added the following remarks.
In 2016, Verstappen officially joined Red Bull and has since become an unstoppable force on the racing grid. He now boasts three wins at the Suzuka Grand Prix, the same place where his Formula 1 journey began.
As mentioned earlier, reigning champion Max Verstappen joined Toro Rosso in 2015. However, he had the opportunity to drive in Formula 1 for the first time during the Japanese Grand Prix in 2014. Verstappen still vividly remembers that significant moment.
Reflecting on the whole experience, Verstappen had the following to say.
Unfortunately, the weekend did not end well due to a tragic accident involving [REMOVED]. Verstappen’s participation was cut short. However, Red Bull recognized his immense talent from the start, and their efforts are now paying off. Verstappen has impressed under the current set of Formula 1 regulations.
