F1 fans hail Max Verstappen as he is set to mark 10 years since becoming youngest Grand Prix winner

Red Bull star Max Verstappen is completing ten years at Red Bull this year, and he will also be celebrating a decade since his maiden F1 win. The Dutchman became the youngest Formula One race winner at the age of 18 when he lifted the winner’s trophy at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, which was also his debut race for Red Bull. He continues to remain unstoppable even now, having narrowly missed out on a fifth World Championship by just two points last year. As F1 revisited the iconic moment, fans of the champion showered him with praise on social media.

When Max Verstappen won his maiden Red Bull race

Max Verstappen replaced Daniil Kvyat at Red Bull just before the Spanish Grand Prix in 2016. He finished fourth in qualifying and went on to win the race. In the process, he became the youngest Grand Prix winner in F1 history, eclipsing the previous record held by Sebastian Vettel.

A video of Max Verstappen’s winning moment from the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, along with his first reaction on team radio, was shared on X. It was captioned: “Max's mesmerising maiden win in Spain! 2026 marks 10 years since Max Verstappen became F1's youngest winner, and all in his first race at Red Bull.”

Reacting to the race video, one fan wrote on X, “Absolutely awesome for this Throwback Thursday. The cars look so much different from not that long ago. Surprised to think the Halo wasn't implemented sooner in F1…” Another tweeted, “Is he the best we have ever seen?” One more commented, “Hard to believe it’s been 10 years already. That win in Spain was the moment everything changed... instant history.” Another fan added, “Spectacular in every sense, how magnificent,” while one claimed, “Max’s rise has been unreal to watch.”

Max Verstappen on the F1 2026 season

Max Verstappen is now gearing up for the upcoming season, which will be run under a new set of regulations. He recently told Swiss publication Blick ahead of the Red Bull livery launch, “I think that during the first tests in Barcelona starting on 26 January, we’ll be spending more time in the garages than out on the track. None of us have any idea about the new car or the engine. Hopefully, we’ll all be a bit wiser after the two tests in Bahrain in February.”

The F1 2026 season will officially begin on March 8 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Former Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar is set to join Verstappen as his new teammate at Red Bull, replacing Yuki Tsunoda.

Also read: Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen and Arvid Lindblad spark excitement with surprise reunion ahead of Racing Bulls livery launch


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