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Max Verstappen comes of age with his first F1 win
18-year-old Max Verstappen rewrote the record books as he became the youngest winner in F1 history.
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The Dutch teenager, promoted to Red Bull Racing in time for the Spanish Grand Prix, produced an astonishing performance in the sweltering heat of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Having battled to the lead, Max Verstappen held Kimi Raïkkönen at bay for lap after lap as the Ferrari driver probed for a way past.
But even with the aid of DRS, the 2007 world champion was unable to close a gap of less than half a second on the race leader. Verstappen took the chequered flag to become the youngest F1 winner in history, the first Dutch driver to win a grand prix and the youngest F1 driver to lead a grand prix – all this on his debut for Red Bull Racing.
Max Verstappen becomes F1’s youngest winner
© Dan Istitene/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen is F1’s youngest winner
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen with the winner’s trophy
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Vetttel sprays champagne at Max Verstappen
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
But as undoubtedly talented as Verstappen is, no one expected this when the cars lined up for the start: Mercedes were again the class of the field and held a comfortable margin during qualifying.
The only way they might lose was if they tripped over each other. Nico Rosberg got another rocket start from P2 and took the lead, Lewis Hamilton fought back but Rosberg shut the door firmly, Hamilton got on the grass, spun and collected his braking team-mate on the way into the gravel.
It meant Mercedes's Spanish GP was over in less than one minute. The inquest will certainly last longer. "That both Mercedes are out after two corners is unacceptable," said Niki Lauda. "Lewis was too aggressive – why should Nico give him room? He's in the lead. I blame Lewis more than I blame Nico."
The wreckage of Hamilton and Rosberg’s cars
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images
The start of the Spanish Grand Prix
© Dan Istitene/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Rosberg and Hamilton battle for the lead
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Daniel Ricciardo leads Max Verstappen
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Daniel Ricciardo inherited the lead with Verstappen behind him, followed by Carlos Sainz for Toro Rosso, with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Räikkönen behind. It was, frankly, the most exciting grand prix for a long time.
In the searing heat on track, tyre strategy was always going to be crucial, with Pirelli suggesting a two-stop strategy would be the best approach. Red Bull Racing and Ferrari both split their strategies: Ricciardo and Vettel three-stopped, Verstappen and Räikkönen did two.
Vettel successfully undercut Ricciardo in their final pitstops to set up a fascinating finale: Verstappen held the lead, with Räikkönen within DRS range behind, and down the road Vettel held off Ricciardo. With 20 laps to go any one of the four could have won.
In the end, a puncture forced Ricciardo to retire and Verstappen, with Räikkönen in his slipstream, slithered and slid to the line, writing history as he took the chequered flag.
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Welcome to the Verstappen show
Fans’ flags supporting Max Verstappen
© Clive Mason/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Centre stage: the press quiz Max Verstappen
© Dan Istitene/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen in his Red Bull Racing colours
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
Pre-race, there was only one story on everyone's agenda: Nico Rosberg’s soccer skills. Oh, and Max Verstappen's debut for Red Bull Racing. He lined up with Toro Rosso drivers Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat for a slightly awkward pre-race press conference.
But a dramatic qualifying session saw sanity restored as Ricciardo put his RB12 on P3 behind pole-man Hamilton, and Verstappen – underlining how he got the gig in the first place – out-qualified the vaunted Ferraris to make it an all-Red Bull Racing second row.
"Firstly I'm really happy to be back in the top three on Saturday and will try and be back here tomorrow," said Ricciardo. "I'm happy for both Max and I to be in front of the Ferraris, we are both on the second row, which is pretty awesome."
Romain’s holiday could be a Talladega Night
Haas F1 star Romain Grosjean could be heading to NASCAR this summer to compete with Stewart-Haas Racing. At the launch of Haas F1, the Frenchman said he'd be interested in experiencing the US's stock car championship, and the team is now looking to make his dream come true.
"It's definitely on our wish list," Joe Custer, chief operating officer of Haas F1, told Motorsport.com. "We just have to make it work – whether it be this year, next year."
There are plenty of hurdles to overcome first: before he can race, Grosjean would have to test and be approved by NASCAR's governing body, and then they need to find a car and a gap in the schedule.
Tantalisingly, the race around former F1 circuit Watkins Glen on August 7 coincides with F1's summer break.
"There would be nothing more interesting than a current F1 driver having a good run in a NASCAR race," added Custer. "We just have to figure it out and get it on the schedule."
Choose from hard to supersoft
The Spanish GP grid girls become Pirelli models
© Pirelli
Spanish GP title sponsors Pirelliturned the grid girls from the Spanish Grand Prix into models to show off the range of P-Zero tyres available to the F1 teams through the season.
We'll let you write your own gags.
Take a look around Sauber
Sauber have released a collection of 360º photos giving fans a look at their garage and pitlane, inside the motorhome and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya at night.
You can see the pitlane above or head to Sauber’s blog to check out more. (Best viewed on a laptop).
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