Red Bull driver Max Verstappen displayed the performance of a genius that made the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix into an exciting spectacle. Two red flags were raised all through the event, and several safety cars were sent out, which posed a threat to ruin the course of the race. The most memorable part of this race, though, has to be Verstappen’s remarkable charge through the front group that resulted in a thrilling third-place finish.
A performance like that shook the fans as well as his ex-driver father, Jos Verstappen, who faced the limelight in recent times for all the wrong reasons. Senior Verstappen was awestruck as he spoke to the media.
He told them, “I’ve seen many races he did, and today it was incredible. He’s 19, his second year in Formula 1 and if he can deliver a race like this we have a lot of enjoyable years in front of us.” Given the fact that Jos has been a hard-to-please father for Max, his comments were a spectacle on their own.
Max Verstappen in Brazil 2016 is probably the best rain race ever done.
There definitely some other drivers with great rain races, but not like Verstappen at 19 years old. #F1 #OrangeArmy pic.twitter.com/1CTHDEY4uX
— Donny Verstappen (@DonnyVerstappen) October 14, 2022
According to the Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, the 19-year-old’s performance that day was “something very special“. He raced with extraordinary skill and steadfast determination the whole race, particularly in the miserable circumstances. Considering the fact that he was just a teenager at that time, showing determination similar to the seasoned drivers, earned him a lot of respect and was no longer termed as a rookie.
What transpired at the most talked about race of Max Verstappen?
In the middle of the engulfing fog that covered the track, Max Verstappen left his mark on racing history. He briefly overtook Lewis Hamilton for second place, trailing the British driver by a mere two seconds after his daring overtakes of Nico Rosberg and Kimi Räikkönen during the first 71 circuits of the race.
During the uphill stretch, the Dutchman experienced a brief setback when he almost spun into setbacks, but his skill allowed him to restore control, safeguarding his lead over Rosberg.
Max Verstappen save at the 2016 Brazilian GP🏁 😱#ClassicCars pic.twitter.com/7IVCsARX2h
— Retr⭕mania (11 K+) (@Retromania4ever) August 8, 2023
Verstappen was momentarily downgraded to fifth place by Red Bull’s decision to bring him into the pits on Lap 43 to install intermediate tires in anticipation of the track conditions improving. However, another safety car deployment followed Felipe Massa’s collision with the wall on Lap 47 and the escalating rain. His unrelenting pursuit showed an outstanding blend of competence and confidence landed him at the podium as he finished third.
That was the day he overtook many of his seniors like Daniel Ricciardo, the controversial Daniil Kvyat, and also Sebastian Vettel. Although termed to be aggressive, Verstappen’s nature played a part in motivating him to get to the finish line. He became a rising star in Formula 1 and Red Bull and started to pose as a threat to the remaining drivers on the grid, and that was his true accomplishment.