TIL: Ferrari Helped Verstappen Take his First Win

In early 2014 Ferrari organised a non-championship winter series in Florida, imaginatively named the Florida Winter Series, for drivers on its Academy and a handful of other youngsters – one of those that came along was Max Verstappen.

It was regarded as an ideal series for the 16-year-old, straight out of karting, to gain some single-seater experience before making the leap to European Formula 3 for his main programme. Ferrari put on classroom workshops, educated the youngsters about physical and mental training, while the drivers were also encouraged to get their hands dirty with the cars.

The 12 drivers piloted a Tatuus FA010B chassis, with 12 races taking place across four rounds at Sebring, Palm Beach and Homestead (twice).

In only his sixth start, at the Palm Beach circuit, Verstappen – whose car was engineered by a couple of Prema Powerteam mechanics – emerged triumphant. It came in a race in which he overcame gearbox problems to hold on to the lead, and which was red-flagged five minutes from time due to the arrival of a downpour. Verstappen, driving a scarlet red car, would go on to bag another win at Homestead, finishing the brief campaign behind only long-term Ferrari junior Antonio Fuoco and now-Williams reserve Nicholas Latifi in the win count. Now Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll and current IndyCar racer Ed Jones were also among the participants.

It proved to be the only Florida Winter Series that Ferrari organised but it was handily timed for Verstappen, who used the series as a springboard from which he starred in European Formula 3, leading to major Formula 1 players vying for his services.

Mercedes was interested, but Red Bull dangled the carrot of a 2015 Toro Rosso seat and the parties signed on the dotted line. Just over six months after taking his first single-seater victory Verstappen was presented to the paddock as the youngest Formula 1 driver in history.