The 2021 Formula 1 campaign is one of the most exciting in recent memory due to the thrilling race for the Drivers’ Championship.
Lewis Hamilton has dominated the sport with Mercedes in recent years after winning seven of the last eight world championships, but this year his title as the sport’s top driver is under serious threat.
Max Verstappen looks set to take the Brit to the wire in the hunt to be crowned this season’s champion after some stunning displays for Red Bull.
But who is Max Verstappen? Here’s everything you need to know about the title challenger.
Max Verstappen: Profile
Verstappen was born on September 30, 1997 in Haselt, Belgium where he grew up near the Dutch border.
The 23-year-old comes from a racing background with his father, Jos Verstappen, an ex-Formula 1 driver.
Verstappen opted to race with a Dutch racing licence due to his duel nationality, with his father coming from the Netherlands and his mother from Belgium.
His racing career started at the age of four when he took up go-karting and competed in numerous junior events before entering Formula 1.
Max Verstappen: Red Bull career
Verstappen first stepped into Formula 1 in August 2014 when he joined Red Bull’s junior team, declining an offer from Mercedes in the process.
He became the youngest driver to take part in an F1 weekend after competing in a free practice ahead of the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
In 2015, he took on his first full-time F1 driver role with Scuderia Toro Rosso, now AlphaTauri, who are a part of the Red Bull group.
In this campaign he established himself as one of F1’s most talented youngsters before securing a seat with Red Bull in 2016.
In his first race with Red Bull, the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen became the youngest driver ever to win a Formula One Grand Prix at the age of 18 years and 228 days.
Between 2016 and 2020 Verstappen improved almost every year after finishing 5th, 6th, 4th, 3rd and 3rd.
In 2021, he’ll be hoping to secure his first Drivers’ Championship
Max Verstappen: F1 record
- Grand Prix’s entered: 132
- Points achieved: 1386.5
- Podium finishes: 52
- 3rd place finishes: 15
- 2nd place finishes: 20
- Race wins: 17
- Highest Drivers’ Championship finish: 3rd
- World championships: 0
Max Verstappen: Lewis Hamilton rivalry
The 2021 campaign has seen the emergence of Formula 1’s biggest rivalry in several years.
Hamilton has won seven of the last eight Drivers’ Championships but could have his title under threat thanks to Verstappen.
With both drivers failing to finish the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, September 12 Verstappen extended his lead at the top of the leaderboard with 226.5 points to his name, ahead of Hamilton who had 221.5.
However with a three-place penalty to his name going into the Russian Grand Prix today it means that the race to be named Drivers’ Champion could take another twist.