F1 Off the Track

Verstappen admits to being 'lucky' in key driving achievement

Sam Cook Friday 26 January 2024 11:57

Verstappen admits to being 'lucky' in key driving achievement

Three-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has said that it would have been 'embarrassing' if he hadn't of 'luckily' scraped through his driving test, after arguments with the invigilator.

The Dutchman was racing in F1 before he was even able to legally drive a road car on his own in his home country, a point that was constantly put across during his debut season with the then-called Toro Rosso team.

18 is the age in which drivers in the Netherlands are able to drive without a guardian watching over them, and 18 was the age in which Verstappen claimed his first race victory in F1.

Verstappen's first team boss Franz Tost recently said that journalists repeatedly called him crazy for originally signing the Dutchman, who signed his first contract aged just 16.

Max Verstappen drove alongside Carlos Sainz in his first season in F1

Max Verstappen claimed his first race victory aged just 18

Max Verstappen is a three-time Formula 1 world champion

Verstappen's embarrassing driving test

Now one of the most successful F1 drivers of his generation, Verstappen has opened up on the time in which he did take his driving test, a few months into his debut season in 2015.

“The examiner told me to go right and I went left,” he told The Times.

“Then I didn’t give way [to pedestrians at a crossing].

“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?'

“I did, yeah, luckily [pass]. It would be quite embarrassing if I hadn’t. I think he was nice to me.”

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Formula 1 Nico Rosberg Toro Rosso Franz Tost

Latest News

Latest F1 News

Mercedes star SHOCKED by FIA reaction after damning drivers' statement

52 minutes ago

Latest F1 News

Verstappen reveals F1 RETIREMENT clue ahead of Las Vegas GP

1 hour ago

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton drops Mercedes BOMBSHELL ahead of Las Vegas GP

2 hours ago

Las Vegas Grand Prix

F1 star reveals DEPORTATION threat at Las Vegas Grand Prix

3 hours ago

Latest F1 News

FIA introduce MANDATORY rule change at Las Vegas Grand Prix

3 hours ago

Las Vegas Grand Prix

F1 Practice Today: Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule, TV channel and live stream

Today 17:27

More news

F1 Race Calendar 2024

GP AUSTRIA 28 - 30 Jun

George Russell

GP GREAT BRITAIN 5 - 7 Jul

Lewis Hamilton

GP HUNGARY 19 - 21 Jul

Oscar Piastri

GP BELGIUM 26 - 28 Jul

Lewis Hamilton

GP NETHERLANDS 23 - 25 Aug

Lando Norris

GP ITALY 30 Aug - 1 Sep

Charles Leclerc

GP AZERBAIJAN 13 - 15 Sep

Oscar Piastri

GP SINGAPORE 20 - 22 Sep

Lando Norris

GP USA 18 - 20 Oct

Charles Leclerc

GP MEXICO 25 - 27 Oct

GP QATAR 29 Nov - 1 Dec

GP ABU DHABI 6 - 8 Dec

Complete kalender 2024

F1 News 24/7

Races

About GPFans

GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.

We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.

With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.

Follow us on your favorite social media channel

Corporate & Media

Innovatieweg 20C
7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY