Today 10 years ago: Max Verstappen switches from Toro Rosso to Red Bull

Exactly ten years ago today, a young Max Verstappen joined the Red Bull team. After barely a year and a half at the then Toro Rosso, the team management considered him ready for the real deal. Ahead of the Spanish GP, a disappointing Daniil Kvyat was promptly replaced by the young Dutchman. A look back at the historic transfer and the beginning of one of the most successful partnerships in F1 history.

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In 2015, Max Verstappen – at that time the youngest F1 driver ever – had already made his debut with sister team Toro Rosso. Although the STR10 was plagued by reliability issues, the 17-year-old Verstappen made a strong impression. His aggressive or not so aggressive overtaking maneuvers attracted worldwide attention, while he also showed a lot of maturity, especially in wet conditions. He also claimed the record for youngest points scorer ever in the top class and performed significantly better than teammate Carlos Sainz, with whom a fierce rivalry developed.

Although Verstappen slowly but surely outgrew the development team, there was no immediate place in 2016 at the main Red Bull team. Star driver Daniel Ricciardo did not budge, and Daniil Kvyat had himself been promoted from Toro Rosso in 2015. However, from the start of the new season, the Russian was under pressure. Compared to Ricciardo, he performed much less consistently, and tensions with the team management increased. Meanwhile, Verstappen again made accelerated progress at Toro Rosso, with consecutive points finishes in Bahrain and China.

The transfer

The turning point came during the Russian GP. Kvyat collided twice with Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari in the opening lap. This made both the team management and the Ferrari-affiliated paddock observers furious. On May 5, 2016 – the Thursday after the Grand Prix – the decision was made in Milton Keynes, and a few days later Red Bull released the following press statement: “Max Verstappen immediately moves to Red Bull. The 18-year-old Dutch F1 talent is promoted from Toro Rosso to the main team.”

Verstappen said at the time: “This next step in my still young F1 career is an incredible opportunity, and I am very grateful to Red Bull and Helmut Marko for the trust they have placed in me. It means a new challenge for me, where I can quickly learn a lot in the environment of a top team.” A few days later, Red Bull’s gamble paid off immediately in Spain: Verstappen won his first race for the team in Barcelona. The rest is history.

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‘Are you crazy?!’

In 2021 – five years later – Verstappen looked back on this historic transfer on behalf of Red Bull. How had he experienced that sudden step? “The first races of that season had gone well and we had some good results,” he recalled. “When I was at my house in Monaco, I got a call from my father. He said: ‘Max, I think there’s a chance you’ll be driving for Red Bull next race.’” Verstappen initially didn’t believe it. “Then I said: ‘Are you crazy?! What are you talking about? I’m at Toro Rosso!’ I didn’t believe my father and eventually he hung up.”

“Then Helmut (Marko, ed.) called me. He said I had to come to Graz.” The Dutchman traveled to Austria to have lunch with Der Doktor. “An hour passed and nothing really happened, so I wondered why we were there. And then Helmut suddenly said: ‘Oh yes, you’re driving for Red Bull next week, so prepare well. You have to go to the factory in Milton Keynes, get a seat fitted, and practice a lot in the simulator.’ I was really like: ‘Okay?!’” he grinned. “He said it so casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.”

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