2018 Monaco Grand Prix (Ricciardo Masterclass)

Lore & Background

Verstappen was born in Hasselt and raised in Maaseik. He is the son of former Formula One driver Jos Verstappen and former kart racer Sophie Kumpen. After a record-breaking karting season in 2013, he graduated to junior formulae and finished third in the 2014 FIA Formula 3 European Championship in his rookie season. At age 17, he signed for Toro Rosso in 2015, becoming the youngest driver in Formula One history. He was promoted to Red Bull in 2016 after four rounds and won the Spanish Grand Prix on his debut, becoming the youngest-ever Grand Prix winner. He finished third in the 2019 and 2020 championships before winning his maiden title in 2021, overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the last race. He won consecutive titles in 2022 and 2023, and secured his fourth in 2024 after winning nine Grands Prix, including a widely acclaimed wet-weather performance in São Paulo. He finished runner-up by two points in a three-way title battle in 2025.

In Their Own Story

Monte Carlo breathed with humid tension as Daniel gripped the RB14's wheel. The engine’s high-pitched scream drowned out the Mediterranean hum. Ahead, Hamilton’s silver car seemed untouchable. On lap 56, Ricciardo began his hunt, closing the gap not by raw speed alone but by managing tire degradation better than anyone else.

Reader's Guide

As of the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen has achieved 71 race wins, 48 pole positions, 37 fastest laps, and 131 podiums. He holds records for most wins in a season (19), most podium finishes in a season (21), most consecutive wins (10), and most consecutive pole positions (8, shared with Ayrton Senna). He is contracted to Red Bull until at least the end of the 2030 season. Outside Formula One, he runs the Verstappen Racing team, competes in sports car racing, and has competed in sim racing since 2015. He was listed in Time's 100 most influential people in 2024 and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2022.

Did You Know?

• Verstappen is the first World Drivers' Champion from the Netherlands.
• He won his first title in 2021 by overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the last race.
• He became the youngest driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix at age 18.
• He won three CIK-FIA karting championships in a single season in 2013.
• He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2022.