Max Verstappen relives the horrors of his driving test where he was ‘lucky to have passed’

Max Verstappen was provided with a Formula 1 super license before he received his drivers license.

Max Verstappen relives the horrors of his driving test where he was ‘lucky to have passed’

Max Verstappen at the Dutch Grand Prix (via IMAGO)

Max Verstappen has been quite the record-breaker ever since he first joined Formula 1 back in 2016. The Dutchman was notably the youngest driver ever to join the grid as a driver, and this situation led to F1 changing the age limit to enter F1 forever. However, amidst the preparations for the upcoming season, Verstappen reminisced upon a funny anecdote from back in his early F1 days.

The reigning world champion received the F1 super license before he was even able to get his driver’s license, making him the youngest-ever F1 racer. However, after joining Formula 1, Max Verstappen tried his hands on the regular driving test and made some blunders during the session.

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The Dutchman recalled the mistakes that he made and remembered how he went right instead of the instructor’s commands to go left. Also, the then 18-year-old did not give way to pedestrians crossing during the same session.

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The examiner told me to go right and I went left, Then I didn’t give way [to pedestrians at a crossing].
Verstappen told The Times.

Expectedly, the instructor was not happy upon seeing such blunders being made by the Formula 1 driver. Subsequently, Verstappen also insisted on how he argued with the instructor since the people were not at the crossing when he was supposed to give way. In hindsight, this wasn’t the best option to argue with the person responsible with such an important test for the Dutchman.

He was not very happy. I argued with him because I thought they were not actually at the crossing. So I was, like, “But they’re not there yet, so why should I stop?

Max Verstappen luckily passed the drivers test despite such blunders

The blunders made by Verstappen during the test potentially could have had sabotaged his process of obtaining the drivers license, but as evident from his long-time record breaking career, the Dutchman was indeed provided with the license. The three-time world champion cheered how he lucikly passed the test despite making such mistakes.

Jos and young Max Verstappen
Jos and young Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)

Additionally, obtaining a F1 super license and failing the drivers test wouldn’t have been the best highlight in his career. Hence, someone saved the world champion from the embarrassment of failing the test. Verstappen also pointed out that possibly the instructor was nice to him during the test and hence passed him, overlooking the mistakes made during the test.

Hence, Verstappen did not look backwards ever since joining Red Bull. The Dutchman continues to break records in his career with Formula 1. As a result, providing the world champion with the license back then helped him gain confidence in himself and become the record-breaker that he is today.

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