'Mad Max' evolves into Formula One world champion

There were times when Formula One would shake its head in disbelief at Max Verstappen and his behavior on the racetrack. After becoming the youngest ever F1 driver in March 2015 aged just 17, Verstappen's talent was obvious but it was accompanied by dangerous moments.

"He belongs back in school. You can't be in Formula One driving like that," snapped former world champion Niki Lauda of Verstappen's 2016 Belgium Grand Prix. The Dutchman took out both Ferraris at the start of Spa and then later, to avoid an overtake from the speeding Kimi Raikkonen, he zigzagged back and forth.

Criticism and recognition

It didn't help that Verstappen wasn't always aware of any of his errors after the fact.

"He belongs in a psychiatric ward if he now says Kimi was at fault," ranted Lauda at the time. Given that Spa wasn't his only noticeable incident, Verstappen developed the nickname "Mad Max".

In 2018, his furious nature on the track was also seen off it when he pushed Esteban Ocon after the pair collided and Verstappen's lead was lost at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

On the other hand, Verstappen's brash arrival in F1 also earned him recognition.

"I like the kid a lot. I think he contributes to the show," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said back then. "He drives incredibly aggressively and has already made a relatively good impression on his opponents."

For all his crazy actions and the anger that accompanied them, Verstappen also enjoyed respect for his driving ability.

"The limit of the car is not Max Verstappen's limit," said F1 director Ross Brawn of the Dutchman. It was clear early on what kind of speed the young man had. "He has matured into an exceptional race driver."

Rapid rise

Verstappen's path to glory started in his childhood. His father Jos, who was an F1 driver between 1994 and 2003, brought his son go-karting from an early age. He also had the required finances and relationships to make it in motorsport. On top of that, little Max was fast.

"I remember that after a few laps he drove the whole track at top speed," recalls his father. "I went straight off to buy him a bigger go-kart."

Verstappen won races and championships, first sealing small series in Belgium, later becoming European and world go-kart champion. In 2014, he made the move into Formula 3 and only one year later he was in Formula One.

Helmut Marko, a Red Bull motorsport advisor, put the exceptional Dutch talent into Red Bull's F1 program and when Verstappen was 17 Marko gave him a seat at Toro Rosso, Red Bull's development team.

In March, in the season opener in Melbourne, Max Verstappen became the youngest ever F1 driver in history aged just 17 years and 166 days. A year later, he was the youngest ever race winner aged 18 years and 228 days.

Elbows out

A brilliant drive in 2016 in the rain in Brazil saw him go from 16th to third inside the final 15 laps. After a tough start to the 2017 season, Verstappen won in Malaysia and hasn't really looked back since.

After finishing third in the drivers' championship in both 2019 and 2020, Verstappen has finally made the move from a wild, young talent to a top driver and world champion. Aided by a constantly outstanding car, Verstappen also benefited from the boldness of his early years.

The Dutchman's elbows have always been out when it comes to getting to the front, and that was perhaps best seen at Silverstone this season when, shortly after the start, Hamilton clipped Verstappen's back tire as the Dutchman turned in on him. Verstappen smashed into the tires dealing with 51G but his desire to be ahead of the pack was in no way diminished.

Even after all these years, some "Mad Max” remains in the Dutchman. At Monza this year, Verstappen again didn't hold back when battling it out with Hamilton. It ended in a collision between the two with Verstappen's car landing on top of Hamilton, who, thanks to the Halo, avoided a serious head injury.

"Lewis is fine," Verstappen said tersely when asked why he hadn't enquired about the state of his opponent after the crash. "He even tried to reverse after I had got out of the car. If you're not well you don't do that."

In Brazil, Verstappen forced Hamilton so wide they both had to leave the track. The Dutchman was fortunate to escape a penalty.

Start of a new era?

Success proves Verstappen's brash and bold style right. In the end, his aggressive, fighting style has led him to a world championship and it could be the first of many. Perhaps, after Lewis Hamilton's era that saw the Briton win six of his seven championships between 2014 and 2020, Verstappen will have his own era of dominance.

The Dutchman is 12 years younger than the Briton and with his strong Red Bull car could easily be the man to beat in the years ahead. Until of course, the next "Mad Max" arrives to challenge for Verstappen's crown.