Red Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. Juan Medina / Reuters / May 15, 2016
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. Juan Medina / Reuters / May 15, 2016
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. Juan Medina / Reuters / May 15, 2016
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday. Juan Medina / Reuters / May 15, 2016

Max Verstappen wins Spanish Grand Prix, becomes F1’s youngest ever race winner


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In his first race with Red Bull Racing, 18-year-old Max Verstappen became the youngest driver in Formula One history to win a race.

He had also been the youngest to lead a lap and to finish with a podium.

Behind him, the two Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel filled out the podium, while a puncture on the penultimate lap resigned his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo to fourth.

Verstappen joined the Red Bull senior team just in the last week after they decided to demote Daniil Kvyat to Toro Rosso, the marque’s junior team with whom Verstappen had been racing.

• Read more: Max Verstappen's promotion to Red Bull promises a new, much-needed rivalry

• Also see: Max Verstappen, 'outstanding young talent' promoted to Red Bull

Extraordinary race! @Max33Verstappen replaces #Seb5 as the youngest ever @F1 race winner. #SpanishGP #beINF1 https://t.co/gK2bP8P46B
Former @F1 driver Jos Verstappen, the race winner's father - is overcome with joy! #SpanishGP https://t.co/YliIL0AYWw

At 18 years and 228 days he became the youngest race winner, replacing four-time champion Sebastian Vettel who had also taken that record as a Red Bull driver at 21 years and 74 days in 2008.

“It feels amazing, I can’t believe it,” said Verstappen.

“It was a great race and it felt like an endurance race. To win straight away, in my first race, it’s an amazing feeling.

“From a very young age, my Dad has helped me a lot - it’s just amazing.”

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