How Red Bull knew Max Verstappen was ready for Formula 1 from the ‘first moment’ he stepped into a car

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Max Verstappen made his Formula 1 debut over 10 years ago and from the moment he set his first lap in a Toro Rosso, hasn’t looked back once.

The four-time champion heads into 2025 with the opportunity to match Michael Schumacher as the only driver to have won five consecutive Drivers’ Championships.

Red Bull ended last season with the third-fastest car but must improve over the winter if they want Verstappen to break even more records.

Verstappen is convinced Mercedes will have the best engine in 2026 when Formula 1 introduces a major rule change.

It could prompt him to change teams before the end of his contract, which is set to expire after the end of 2028.

Toto Wolff said Mercedes signing Verstappen was never an option, but it could be in the future if Red Bull endures a tough start with their new power unit in 2026 with the new regulations.

Helmut Marko knew Max Verstappen was ready for Formula 1 from the ‘first moment’

Verstappen became a part of the Red Bull family back in 2014 just a matter of months before they would throw him into a Formula 1 car.

His first big opportunity came at the Japanese Grand Prix, where he drove Jean-Eric Vergne’s car during FP1.

He came 12th and held his own in the machinery at the age of just 16. It’s astounding by today’s standards to think that someone of that age was able to get in the car and be quick from lap one.

READ MORE: Red Bull ‘sources’ have now revealed when Max Verstappen may decide to leave amid Aston Martin rumours

Speaking to The Guardian back in 2022, Helmut Marko says it only confirmed his suspicions about the Dutchman at the time.

“We made a conscious decision to throw Max into the deep end,” he said. “That was quite a challenge. But I believed that with him we had found someone who would become the new norm.

“At Suzuka, we got confirmation of what I already knew, Max didn’t do anything wrong in that practice and was competitive from the first moment he stepped into a Formula One car.”

What would make Max Verstappen the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time?

Looking back on Verstappen’s time in the sport, he has already forged an amazing name and legacy for himself.

There’s every chance that he could match Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton’s tally of seven titles by the end of the decade.

If he does that, he will take the record for wins along the way. He’s close to the conversation of greatest of all time now but achieving these things would set him apart.

READ MORE: Max Verstappen snubs 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix when naming his favourite F1 win of all time

He may look for a new challenge before leaving the sport. Aston Martin could be a tantalising location considering Adrian Newey and Honda’s arrival in 2026.

It would also help consolidate his legacy by winning with another team – something both Hamilton and Schumacher managed during their careers.