Verstappen hasn't changed as a person, but he has become a more complete racing driver

Max Verstappen will always be remembered for his victory as a rookie at the Barcelona Grand Prix. It was a remarkable achievement for the then 18-year-old. He has now gained a lot of experience.

Motorsport.com held an interview with him, questioning whether Verstappen is still the same guy as back then. "Well, you gain more experience over the years. That makes everything easier. You also get a better understanding of the car and - especially if you stay with one team for a long time - you get a better idea of how everything works within a team. As a person, you also grow as you get older, but that's logical. I haven't really changed, I think. I feel like I'm still the same person I was back then."

Dealing with situations better

Despite saying he has remained the same person, he feels he has become a more complete driver. "That's mainly because of the understanding of Formula 1 as a whole, the car and of course the whole team. You handle certain situations better because you have experienced them before. That applies, for example, to the start, to a hectic first lap and also to managing the tyres."

Up to and including today, the Dutchman raced 119 times in Formula 1. Ten times he saw the chequered flag go back and forth in front of him. 32 other times he made it to the podium, but not the overall win. In total, Verstappen has gathered 1180 career points.