29/09/2014
NEWS STORY
Teenage sensation Max Verstappen will make his F1 race weekend debut on Friday in Japan, just days after his 17th birthday.
Having now been granted the necessary Superlicence by the FIA, Verstappen will participate in FP1, taking the wheel of Jean-Eric Vergne's STR9.
"I am very much looking forward to taking part in a Free Practice session at a Grand Prix for the first time," said Verstappen. "It is good preparation for next year, even if it's not something I could have imagined a few months ago.
"To already be participating in a practice session is of course a dream come true," he continued. "I have actually been to Suzuka before, to take part in a go-kart race on the track that is located next to the main circuit's back straight.
"My dad has raced at Suzuka many times and he told me it's not an easy track to start on. For me it will be a very valuable experience, spending some time in the car and also getting used to working with everyone in the team, to prepare myself for next year. I am not going there to break any records, I just want to gain experience.
"I have spent one day driving this track on the simulator, which helps a bit, but it's no substitute for driving it for real. My first impression is that it's not an easy track and for example it looks hard to get the combination right in the first esses. I have one and a half hours to drive there and I'm looking forward to doing a good job, for myself and for the team."
Verstappen will take to the track three days after his 17th birthday, thereby breaking the record, in terms of the youngest driver to take part in an F1 practice session, which was previously held by Sebastian Vettel who debuted with BMW in Turkey in 2006, aged 19 years and 53 days.
Chris Balfe