Verstappen proves Macau Grand Prix’s pedigree

The Macau Grand Prix’s reputation as a breeding ground for the world’s best young motor racing talent has continued after 18-year-old Max Verstappen stunned the field to win the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen not only won the race on debut for Red Bull – ending Nico Rosberg’s run of five consecutive race wins – he also became the youngest ever F1 race winner at just 18 years and 228 days old. That makes him two years and 210 days younger than former record holder Sebastian Vettel.

Although there remain some questions over the strategy employed by Red Bull – with Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo robbed of victory when told to make three pit stops instead of two – what cannot be denied is just how fast Verstappen is behind the wheel.

The teenager famously competed in the 2014 Macau Grand Prix with a sizzling performance that could well have seen him take the chequered flag. Unluckily, a multi-car crash early in the race saw Verstappen starting way back in 24th when the race resumed but he proceeded to make an epic comeback – setting the fastest lap of the race before eventually finishing in seventh.

The Macau Grand Prix has produced a number of future F1 greats with past winners of the event including Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher, David Brabham and Takuma Sato. Others to take part over the years include Vettel, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Mark Webber, Alan Jones and Mika Häkkinen.