F1: The 5 seasons of Max Verstappen 

2016: The Surprise Red Bull Elevation

Verstappen celebrates his debut race with Red Bull at Circuit de Catalunya, Spain

He won his first Grand Prix before getting his driver’s license. No one in the world can lay claim to that record. Red Bull's Russian driver Daniil Kvyat, having finished ahead of Daniel Ricciardo the previous year, was having a bumpy start to the season, crashing and torpedoing. It came as a shocker to the paddock when just 4 rounds in, he was demoted to Toro Rosso and Verstappen was handed a surprise elevation to the senior Red Bull team.

Fortuitous though it might have been as the two Mercedes drivers (Hamilton and Rosberg) took each other out, Verstappen registered his debut win in his very first race with Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. Six more podiums followed in the season, which included a stellar drive in the rain in Interlagos, Brazil, which effectively extinguished any doubts about his talent.

Championship: 5th | Points: 204 | Podiums: 7 | Wins: 1