Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has hailed Max Verstappen while explaining why the team failed to sign him back in 2014.
Having broken out of karting in European Formula 3, there was a big demand for his signature with Red Bull obtaining it in August of that year.
Just two months later, he was in an F1 car testing the Toro Rosso on his 17th birthday during Friday practice at Suzuka having been given a seat at the junior team for 2015.
Since then, he earned a promotion to the senior team in 2016, won on his Red Bull debut and has claimed seven total F1 victories emerging as the biggest star of the next generation.
“First of all, let me say that the boy from then is an exceptional young man,” GPFans quoted Wolff as telling RacingNews365.
“At Red Bull, Max was given the time to develop. He was allowed to make mistakes at Toro Rosso, but also at Red Bull – as in Azerbaijan’s GP last year, with Daniel Ricciardo.
“Most top drivers have such a learning curve. His step from last to this year is very impressive, I think.”
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A future move to Mercedes is still almost expected for Verstappen, perhaps as soon as 2021, but Wolff admitted that five years ago, the team wasn’t ready to take him on.
“Everything happens for a reason,” he said. “Red Bull has given this boy time to develop.
“At the time, we had no facilities, no structure for juniors. The focus was still on Mercedes winning races and championships as a team. It was still very fresh for us.
“You know, of course, we want ‘the next Max’. A few are already coming through our training program, I tell you. But the only real Max Verstappen just came too soon for us.”