P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The former AlphaTauri Team Principal recalls how Max Verstappen impressed during an early scouting mission for Red Bull.
Franz Tost, the former AlphaTauri Team Principal, has been instrumental in bringing young talent like Max Verstappen into Formula 1. Tost first noticed Verstappen’s exceptional skills during his Formula 3 season when he outperformed everyone in wet conditions at the Norisring circuit in Germany. He believed Verstappen was the only standout driver among his competitors. Eventually, Verstappen was signed by Red Bull’s Toro Rosso team and made his F1 practice debut at the age of 17 during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Tost was amazed by how quickly Verstappen adapted to the speed and performance of the F1 cars, which usually takes other drivers several hundred kilometers of practice. Despite concerns from journalists about Verstappen’s young age, Tost remained confident in his decision and predicted success for the young driver. As it turned out, Verstappen proved his talent and potential right from the beginning, thus vindicating Tost’s belief in him.
