Seven years ago, Verstappen set the record as the youngest F1 winner.

With 38 Formula 1 victories now under his belt, Max Verstappen looks back on the race that earned him his first win, making him the youngest driver ever to win a Grand Prix.

The story of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix is not so much one of the usual drama dominated by Mercedes as it is one of a bold gamble that rewrote the history books. During the week of May 15, Red Bull surprised the paddock by replacing Daniil Kvyat with 17-year-old Dutch prodigy Max Verstappen, a decision that seemed reckless given Kvyat's recent podium finish, but which proved to be visionary.

At the start of the race, Mercedes still seemed invincible. Lewis Hamilton, already a two-time champion, had taken pole position in Barcelona, beating his teammate by three-tenths of a second, while Nico Rosberg occupied the front row, hoping to emulate his father, a former world champion. Ferrari, which had just won three consecutive victories in 2015, was third in the constructors' standings, 13 points behind Red Bull, which many considered to be having a “difficult and anonymous” season. However, the start turned the tables. Rosberg took the lead by drafting Hamilton, but the British champion fought back and forced Rosberg off the racing line. The resulting contact sent both Mercedes onto the grass, eliminating the Silver Arrows and leaving the race open to the other contenders. With the dominant duo out of the race, Ferrari and Red Bull sensed an opportunity. Daniel Ricciardo led the early part of the race after the restart, but Red Bull quickly called him in to hand the wheel over to Verstappen, giving the young driver his first chance to lead a Grand Prix. Meanwhile, the two teams adopted contrasting pit stop strategies: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) and Ricciardo (Red Bull) opted for three stops, while Verstappen and Kimi Räikkönen followed a two-stop plan. The difference in tires proved decisive. The new tires on the two-stop cars gave them a speed advantage that the extra pit stops of their three-stop rivals could not match. On lap 44, Verstappen took the lead after his teammate's pit stop and never looked back, claiming his first Formula 1 victory. At 18 years, 7 months, and 15 days, he became the youngest driver to win a race, concluding a weekend that will be remembered as a turning point for the sport.