Max Verstappen became the youngest Formula One race winner by securing victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The 18-year-old capitalised on a collision between Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to claim top spot, earning his place in history.
Verstappen had only just been promoted to Red Bull’s premier outfit from Toro Rosso following Daniil Kvyat’s struggles at the start of the season.
The Dutchman displayed signs of his talent during the qualifying session by earning fourth spot on the grid only behind Hamilton, Rosberg and his new team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
However, the path opened up for Verstappen to take glory after Hamilton and Rosberg wiped each other out on the first corner of the circuit.
Ricciardo held the lead, but the team made the decision to put him on a three-stop strategy, which allowed the 18-year-old to go out in front as the option backfired for the Australian.
Verstappen fended off the wily Kimi Raikkonen in the final 22 laps with a flawless drive to take the chequered flag, and bask in the glory of his first victory.
The Dutchman claimed the record from Sebastian Vettel, winning the race three years junior of the German’s age when he triumphed at the Italian Grand Prix in 2008.
The Red Bull driver will now have his sights ambitiously set on achieving a further feat by becoming the youngest Formula One world champion.
This season may come too soon for the Dutchman as he trails Nico Rosberg by a considerable distance, with the latest odds backing Verstappen at 40/1 to claim his maiden crown.
Vettel currently holds the record for the youngest F1 champion in the history of the sport when he lifted the trophy in 2010 at the age of 23.
The 18-year-old is just 24 races into his career and appears to hold the maturity to handle the big occasions after staving the desperate attempts of Ferrari’s Raikkonen in the closing stages to deny him the victory.
With five years on his side, Verstappen looks a good shout to break another one of Vettel’s records should he maintain his level of his composure.
Michael Schumacher’s 91 victories stand as the most in Formula One history, but due to the age of Verstappen and his rise with such a prominent team, he could well be the one to end the German’s hold at the top.
Hamilton currently holds the most amount of wins of active drivers at 43, but he is unlikely to challenge Schumacher’s all-time record, leaving it open for the next generation.
There also seems to be a great rivalry in the sport, and Verstappen’s foe will no doubt appear as the years’ progress, which may be the only thing to halt his charge.
However, he has now announced his arrival on the scene in one of the most exciting moments in the history of the sport.
Expectations have been raised and it will be up to Verstappen and his team around him to ensure that he is able to fulfil his limitless potential.
