(Motorsport-Total.com) – Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen looked back on his extraordinary maiden victory at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. In a video with Formula 1, Verstappen recently spoke openly about the emotional rollercoaster and immense pressure that accompanied his sensational debut for Red Bull.
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The Dutchman, who was promoted to the team in Milton Keynes in the middle of the season, was immediately in the spotlight in Barcelona. “That was a crazy thing,” says Verstappen. “Of course, just being promoted to Red Bull and then thrown in at the deep end – I actually expected nothing, I just wanted to score good points.”
After a dramatic first lap, which also included the crash between the two Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Verstappen suddenly had the chance for a podium finish.
The pressure of the debutant
“But after the first lap, the chance for a podium, I think, was there,” he continues. “That it ended up being the race win is just crazy. I have no other words for it because the whole weekend – or even the week before – was so hectic.”
The pressure was further increased by the lurking presence of Ferrari’s vice Kimi Räikkönen in the last stint of the race.
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From kid to world champion: Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 career
“And then I didn’t even really know the car yet. It was the first time I drove a full race distance with it, so I was learning the whole time. And then I had Kimi behind me, who was trying to overtake me,” Verstappen adds.
The beginning of an era
“So it was a lot of pressure, but in the end we managed to defend the lead. A highly emotional first win, that’s for sure.”
Since his maiden victory in 2016, Verstappen has won 70 more Grands Prix, stood on the podium 127 times, celebrated four consecutive World Championships between 2021 and 2024, and secured 48 pole positions. After a rocky start to the season for Red Bull, he currently sits seventh in the 2026 driver standings with 26 points.
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