Max Verstappen's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Max Verstappen. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Max Verstappen is a highly accomplished Dutch-Belgian Formula One driver racing under the Dutch flag for Red Bull Racing. He has secured four consecutive Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles from 2021 to 2024. Throughout his 12 seasons in Formula One, Verstappen has achieved 71 Grand Prix victories, solidifying his position as one of the sport's dominant figures.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1991: First Honda-powered World Drivers' Champion

After winning the event's kart race alongside Marc Márquez, Honda awarded Verstappen—the first Honda-powered World Drivers' Champion since 1991—with an NSX Type S.

2004: Breaking Record of Race Wins in a Season

Max Verstappen's fifteenth victory of the year in Abu Dhabi broke the record of thirteen race wins in a season, previously shared by Michael Schumacher in 2004 and Sebastian Vettel in 2013.

2005: Mini Junior Championship

In 2005, Max Verstappen competed in the Mini Junior championship of Limburg, Belgium, and won the VAS Championship in the same category.

2006: Repeated Success

In 2006, Max Verstappen repeated his success from the previous year in karting championships.

2006: First Honda-powered Race Victory Since 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix

In 2019, during the Austrian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen secured the first Honda-powered race victory since the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, marking a significant achievement for both Verstappen and Honda.

2007: Rotax Max Mini Max Class

In 2007, Max Verstappen graduated to the Rotax Max Mini Max class and won the Rotax Max Challenge Belgium and the Dutch Championship in that category.

2008: Karting Championships

In 2008, racing in a CRG kart, Max Verstappen won the Belgian Cadet Championship, the Rotax Max Challenge Belgium, and the Benelux Karting Series in the Mini Max class.

2009: Comments on Max Verstappen's talent

In 2009, Gerhard Berger echoed Jenson Button's comments, anointing Max Verstappen as the Formula One driver of this era with the most raw talent.

2009: Pex Racing and Championship Wins

In 2009, Max Verstappen joined Pex Racing, a CRG customer team. He defended his titles in the Mini Max championships and won the Belgian KF5 Championship.

2011: WSK Euro Series Win

In 2011, Max Verstappen won the WSK Euro Series ahead of Esteban Ocon in a Parilla-powered CRG kart, though it was not a successful year overall.

2013: Record-Breaking Karting Season

In 2013, Max Verstappen completed a record-breaking season in karting, winning three CIK-FIA championships. He became the youngest-ever driver to win the gearbox World Championship at Varennes-sur-Allier.

2013: Achievements in Karting

In 2013, Verstappen finished third at the KF World Championship and won the South Garda Winter Cup in KF2, as well as the WSK Euro Series and the WSK Super Master Series in KZ1 and KZ2, respectively.

2013: Breaking Record of Race Wins in a Season

Max Verstappen's fifteenth victory of the year in Abu Dhabi broke the record of thirteen race wins in a season, previously shared by Michael Schumacher in 2004 and Sebastian Vettel in 2013.

January 2014: Junior Formulae Debut and Win

On 16 January 2014, Max Verstappen debuted in junior formulae in the Florida Winter Series. On 5 February, he won a race at Palm Beach International Raceway and later won his second race at Homestead–Miami Speedway, marking a successful entry into single-seater racing.

2014: FIA Formula 3 European Championship

In 2014, Max Verstappen drove in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship for Van Amersfoort Racing and achieved ten victories in total and became the youngest race winner in Formula Three history at the Hockenheimring. He placed third in the overall standings.

2015: Continued Success and FIA Awards

In 2015, Max Verstappen regularly finished in the points, achieving his best finish of the season in Hungary. He received three awards at the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony, including "Rookie of the Year", "Personality of the Year", and "Action of the Year".

May 2016: Promotion to Red Bull Racing and Victory at Spanish Grand Prix

On 5 May 2016, Red Bull Racing announced that Max Verstappen would replace Daniil Kvyat from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards. Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver ever to win a Formula One Grand Prix at the age of 18 years and 228 days.

2016: Niki Lauda calls Verstappen 'talent of the century'

Following Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One win at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Niki Lauda described him as the "talent of the century". Christian Horner stated that Verstappen is the best driver Red Bull has ever seen.

2016: Promotion to Red Bull and Spanish Grand Prix Win

In 2016, Max Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull and won the Spanish Grand Prix on his debut for the team, becoming the youngest-ever driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix, at the age of 18.

2017: Multiple Race Wins

In 2017, Max Verstappen achieved multiple race wins, continuing to build his reputation in Formula One.

2018: Helmut Marko comments on Verstappen's performance vs Ricciardo

In 2018, Helmut Marko stated that data showed Verstappen's performance gap over his teammate Daniel Ricciardo had increased. Marko noted Verstappen's ability to manage tires, and concluded that the then 20-year-old Verstappen had clearly moved ahead of Ricciardo since the second half of the 2018 season.

2018: Continued Race Wins

In 2018, Max Verstappen continued his success with multiple race wins, further establishing himself as a top Formula One driver.

2019: Joined Red Bull and Podium Finishes

In 2019, Max Verstappen joined Red Bull with Honda power units, achieving third place in Australia, marking the first podium for a Honda-powered driver since 2008. He faced challenges in Bahrain and Monaco but maintained strong performances, showcasing his skill and determination.

2019: Finished 2019 Season in Third Place

In the 2019 season, Max Verstappen finished in third place in the championship with 278 points, securing three race victories, nine podium finishes, two pole positions, and three fastest laps, showcasing a successful year.

2019: Beating Record of Points in a Season

Max Verstappen won the championship with 454 points, surpassing Lewis Hamilton's 2019 record of 413 points.

October 2020: Won Petit Le Mans Special Event

In October 2020, Max Verstappen won the Petit Le Mans Special Event.

2020: Jenson Button comments on Verstappen's performance relative to teammates

During the 2020 season, Jenson Button stated that he had not seen a driver dominate their teammates as much as Max Verstappen had in a very long time.

2020: Recovery and Victory in 2020

In 2020, during the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen crashed during the formation lap but recovered to finish second. He later won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, demonstrating resilience and skill.

2020: Third Place Finish in the 2020 Season

Max Verstappen concluded the 2020 season in third place with 214 points, achieving two race victories, eleven podium finishes, one pole position, and three fastest laps.

October 2021: Verstappen voted most popular F1 driver

In October 2021, Max Verstappen was voted the most popular Formula One driver in an official worldwide survey conducted by Nielsen Media Research and Motorsport Network.

2021: Fernando Alonso comments on Verstappen's performance

In 2021, Fernando Alonso commented that Verstappen is the standout driver in Formula One, declaring him to be one step ahead of everyone. Alonso noted that Verstappen deserved to win the 2021 Formula One World Championship.

2021: Jackie Stewart comments on Verstappen's career

In 2021, Jackie Stewart acknowledged Max Verstappen as the fastest driver in Formula One but noted he was still in the early stages of his career. Scuderia AlphaTauri's team principal, Franz Tost, also declared Verstappen the fastest driver after his first title win in 2021.

2021: Championship Battles and Race Results in 2021

In 2021, Max Verstappen battled Lewis Hamilton, securing pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix but finishing second. He won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and continued to challenge Hamilton, finishing second in Portugal and Spain. These races were marked by intense competition and strategic decisions that shaped the championship standings.

2021: Victories and Championship Lead in 2021

In 2021, Max Verstappen secured pole position and won the United States Grand Prix, extending his championship lead to twelve points. He also won the Mexico City Grand Prix, further increasing his lead to 19 points, showcasing dominant performances.

2021: First Formula One World Drivers' Championship Title

In 2021, Max Verstappen won his first Formula One World Drivers' Championship title with Red Bull Racing.

2021: Inaugural Formula One Sprint Race Win

In 2021, Max Verstappen won the inaugural Formula One sprint race at the British Grand Prix.

September 2022: Appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau

In September 2022, Max Verstappen was appointed an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in recognition of his racing achievements.

2022: Verstappen elevated himself to a new higher level

Following an impressive first half of the 2022 season, journalist David Tremayne claimed Verstappen had elevated himself to a new higher level compared to his 2021 title winning season, suggesting Verstappen's first title had made him more relaxed.

2022: Appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau

In 2022, Max Verstappen was appointed an Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau, a Dutch civil order, recognizing his contributions.

2022: Second Championship Title

In 2022, Max Verstappen won his second Formula One World Championship title, overturning the largest points deficit in Formula One history.

2023: Entered AMX Global League at Imola

In 2023, Max Verstappen entered the eighth round of the AMX Global League at Imola, winning the first heat.

2023: Third Championship Title

In 2023, Max Verstappen secured his third consecutive Formula One World Championship title, breaking numerous records throughout the season.

January 2024: Won Daytona 24 Special Event

In January 2024, Max Verstappen won the GTD class at the Daytona 24 Special Event with Redline.

2024: 2024 Races

In 2024, Max Verstappen secured his 60th race win at the Canadian Grand Prix. He won the Spanish Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix sprint. He received a time penalty at the Austrian Grand Prix and finished fifth. He finished second at the British Grand Prix and fifth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, criticizing his team's strategy. At the Belgian Grand Prix, he finished fourth.

2024: Fourth Consecutive Formula One World Drivers' Championship Title

In 2024, Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive Formula One World Drivers' Championship title with Red Bull, marking a significant achievement in his career.

2024: 2024 Season Highlights

In 2024, Max Verstappen started the season with a grand slam at the Bahrain Grand Prix and won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He retired at the Australian Grand Prix, ending his winning streak. He won the Japanese Grand Prix, the Chinese Grand Prix sprint and race, and another sprint at the Miami Grand Prix. He matched Ayrton Senna's record of eight consecutive poles at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and won the race. He finished sixth at the Monaco Grand Prix.

2024: Listed as One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 2024, Max Verstappen was listed in Time as one of the 100 most influential people globally, recognizing his impact beyond racing.

2024: James Elson praises Verstappen's performance

In 2024, following Verstappen's World Drivers' Championship win in the RB20, James Elson of Motor Sport affirmed that Max Verstappen is F1's best driver. Elson added that Verstappen demonstrated the ability to win races.

September 2025: Competitive debut on the Nordschleife and GT3 race debut

In September 2025, Max Verstappen made his competitive debut on the Nordschleife in the seventh round for Lionspeed GP, completing the laps required for a GT3 permit in a horsepower-restricted Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, finishing seventh in class. Later in September 2025, Verstappen made his GT3 race debut and won, driving a Ferrari 296 GT3 with Chris Lulham for Emil Frey Racing in the Nürburgring Endurance Series.

2025: Verstappen regarded as the best driver in the world

By 2025, Andrew Benson of BBC Sport wrote that Verstappen was "regarded by almost everyone in [Formula One] as the best driver in the world".

2025: 2025 Season Struggles and Triumphs

In 2025, Max Verstappen finished second at the Australian Grand Prix. He claimed third in the sprint and fourth in the race in China, expressing concerns about the car's performance. He won the Japanese Grand Prix. He finished sixth in Bahrain and second in Saudi Arabia, receiving a penalty. He finished fourth in the Miami sprint and race.

2025: Acclaim for pole lap at Japanese Grand Prix

In 2025, Max Verstappen received widespread acclaim for his surprise pole lap at the Japanese Grand Prix. Andrew Benson of BBC Sport regarded Verstappen's qualifying lap as one of the greatest of all time.

2025: Verstappen.com Racing Debut in Endurance Cup

In 2025, Verstappen.com Racing made its debut as a standalone team in the Endurance Cup, fielding an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo for Vermeulen, King, and Lulham, securing a Gold Cup victory at the 24 Hours of Spa.