PaddockScout’s Newcomer of the Year

Max Verstappen

The stats overwhelmingly speak in Verstappen’s favour – out of all the nominees, he raced in the toughest championship, won the most races and is the only one who is already guaranteed to become a Formula One driver.

He seemingly had no business winning even a single European F3 race, but instead won ten. And, for six races in a row in June, he made some of Europe’s finest juniors settle for contesting the two bottom spots of the podium.

Verstappen’s signature was pursued by two of F1’s top teams and, to eventually poach him, one of them had to free up a full-time seat.

Is he the complete article then? Absolutely not. But, for his debut year in cars, he did as well as anyone could’ve possibly expected him to do.

And that makes Max Verstappen our 2014 PaddockScout Newcomer of the Year.