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A young 18 year old Max Verstappen displayed some exceptional wet weather driving skills at the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paolo.
As championship contenders Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg battled their way through the bantering rain, the young Dutchman finished second after starting 13th on the grid.
Verstappen was in his first year in the Red Bull F1 team and was caught amidst one of the most memorable battles in F1 history, the Silver War between Rosberg and Hamilton. In near-zero visibility weather, the young Dutchman, who was only in his third year in single-seater racing, used his karting skills to find grip in the most unexpected areas of the tarmac on the Interlagos circuit.
Used to karting predominantly in wet-weather in Holland, Max Verstappen displayed a class of his own to steal the spotlight from championship protagonists Rosberg and Hamilton. Displaying an unforgettable performance from 13th place to 2nd, the race went down in the history books as the 'Verstappen show'.
The Red Bull F1 driver echoed a skillset possessed by one of the all-time greats, the late Ayrton Senna, who often tested his wet-weather skills by driving go-karts. Driving on the Brazilian's home circuit, the young Dutchman triggered a sense of nostalgia amidst his audience.
What did Max Verstappen say after his masterclass in the 2016 Brazilian GP?
Displaying an exceptional skill-set in blinding rain and stealing the show amidst an intense championship battle, the Dutchman placed himself right next to another rain master on the podium, Lewis Hamilton. Until 2016 his driving skills were considered raw and edgy, and his experience often became a point of scrutiny.
However, after a masterclass in the rain at the 2016 Brazilian GP, Max Verstappen proved his worthiness of not just getting an F1 drive at a young age but also displaying a class of driving that categorized him as a potential all-time great.
Describing the different racing lines he took in the race, the Red Bull driver said:
"About the line, I think it’s just because you can’t see where you’re going when you just stay behind them, so you try something else and it seemed to work. The car was working really well also so that helps."
"Of course it’s great because you have to go forward. We didn’t have the best strategy at the time so you try to make up for it."
The Dutchman's drive at the Interlagos circuit became one of his career defining moments and shaped him to be a champion in waiting.
Although the 2016 F1 championship is remembered as the year when Hamilton was defeated by Rosberg, it was also the year that marked the arrival of Max Verstappen in the big leagues.
