"Still gives me goosebumps" - Max Verstappen on first F1 win with Honda

Max Verstappen has revealed that he felt “relief” after winning at Austria in 2019. The win was Red Bull’s first with Honda, and, according to Verstappen, it showed them that they could “achieve anything”.

Speaking at Red Bull’s post-season celebratory event, Max Verstappen paid tribute to Honda and its F1 managing director Masashi Yamamoto:

“First win (with Honda) I think that was very emotional, it actually still gives me goosebumps to this day when I talk about it, because it was a kind of relief as well and it showed that you know, anything is possible in this world.”

“One thing I will miss is also Yamamoto-San coming in every single weekend before we start racing with all the signatures (autographs) I have to put on. I don't know how many family members you have, but it is insane. I think it's a very big problem.”

In 2019, Red Bull switched to Honda engines to become a true “works team” after their partnership with Renault soured following disappointing results.

Red Bull and Renault saw combined success in the first half of the decade. In the turbo-hybrid era, however, Red Bull became frustrated with the unreliability and lack of power of the Renault engines.

Their relationship further deteriorated when Renault entered their own team in 2016. This made Red Bull a “customer team” that had to accommodate an engine primarily designed for another chassis. In retaliation, Red Bull stripped Renault's badging from their cars, and rebadged the engines as TAG Heuer.

Come 2019, neither Red Bull nor Honda were confident about their partnership bringing in the success that they had hoped for. That was to be until Max Verstappen’s triumph at the Red Bull Ring.

With his victory in Abu Dhabi, Max Verstappen delivered Honda’s first F1 world championship in nearly thirty years. Honda last tasted championship success with the great Ayrton Senna driving for McLaren in 1991.

The Japanese engine manufacturer decided to pull out of the sport in 1992, returning in 2000 and continuing with their namesake full team until 2008. It returned in 2015 with McLaren and now, just seven years after entering F1, Honda is exiting the sport at the end of the season to focus on carbon neutrality.

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Gerhard Berger expects Max Verstappen to win more titles

Former F1 driver and current chairman of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), Gerhard Berger expects Max Verstappen to win more F1 titles in the future.

In an interview with Austrian channel ServusTV, the former Ferrari F1 driver said:

“He’s going to be World Champion many more times. He’s an extraordinary racing driver.”

“You’ve already seen that in Formula 3. I’ve already watched him in karting. The guy’s got it and he will be even bigger than he already is.”

Max Verstappen did only one season of car racing – although he participated in more than one series – in 2014 before stepping up to F1 the following year. During that time, he was famous for his racecraft, especially in adverse weather conditions, and his ability to scythe through the field.

After stepping up to F1 at just 17, Max Verstappen was often labeled as “aggressive” and “dangerous” by fellow drivers and pundits. Over the years, however, he has displayed immense skill and the ability to stay calm under pressure. In 2016, he won his first race after stepping up to the senior Red Bull team. Later the same year, his wet weather driving skills were in full view as he climbed back up to podium positions from P15 in Brazil.