Max Verstappen will make his debut for the Red Bull Racing team at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, as he gets ready to replace Daniil Kvyat behind the wheel of the RB12, following the Russian’s recent incidents involving Sebastian Vettel at his home track. The performance did not go down well with Red Bull Chief Helmut Marko, who felt it necessary to relegate Kvyat to sister team Toro Rosso.
The Dutchman is ready to put in the performance of his life and make good use of the fantastic opportunity he has been given by the Milton Keynes based squad.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to drive for Red Bull Racing and I can’t wait to jump in the car in Barcelona. I have a lot of work to do ahead of the race, lots of data to study but luckily it’s a track I know well because we have driven there so much.
“The main straight is quite a long one, so you need a good top speed. For me the best parts of the track are Turn 3 and Turn 9, as they are both high-speed ones. The last sector is also interesting, as it’s very technical and hard on tyres.
“The crowd is also one you always notice, with many Spanish fans showing their support and enjoying the racing!”
The cool, calm, collected exterior of Verstappen belies his young years, and the Dutchman has already shown on numerous occasions that he can not only handle the pressure, but is also not shy when it comes to making his presence known on track. The Austrian-owned squad know what a gem they have in the Dutchman and they are not willing to risk letting their competitors get their hands on him, hence his promotion to their lead team.
The Circuit de Catalunya is a great track for Verstappen to make his debut in the RB12, having already experienced the circuit during pre-season testing. It will therefore not be unfamiliar territory for the young Dutchman, even if the car is.
