Franz Tost was Max Verstappen’s first team principal in Formula 1. He headed up Red Bull’s sister team, originally known as Toro Rosso, from 2005 until the end of 2023.
Most of the drivers Tost worked with were eventually axed, but a select few graduated to Christian Horner’s squad. Fewer still won races, and two have become world champions.
The first was Sebastian Vettel, who joined Red Bull in 2009 after a year at Toro Rosso. He was already a race-winner when he arrived after a remarkable victory at Monza, and he became F1’s youngest world champion in 2010.
That record still stands, even though Verstappen came close. Sensationally, the Dutchman was only 17 when he made his debut at Toro Rosso.
Helmut Marko called the FIA ‘stupid’ for changing their superlicence system to prevent a repeat of Verstappen’s rapid ascent. But he proved he was ready at the outset and won on his Red Bull debut in 2016.
Now 27, he’s unquestionably established himself as one of the sport’s all-time greats. And speaking on The Inside Line podcast, Tost has recalled his breakout moment.
Max Verstappen crushed the field in junior race just like Michael Schumacher
Tost remembers Michael Schumacher’s display at the Salzburgring in Austria during his days in Formula Ford. In wet conditions, nobody could keep up with him.
Schumacher would later be nicknamed the ‘Regenmeister’ (Rainmaster), and the same moniker could be applied to Verstappen. He produced one of the best performances ever at a sodden Sao Paolo last November, fighting back from 17th to win.
Even as a teenager, his supreme feel in wet conditions was obvious. Tost pointed to the 2014 Euro F3 round at the Norisring, where Verstappen swept all three races.
On a lap that was under a minute long, he was consistently 1.5 seconds quicker than the field. From that moment, the Austrian had no doubt about Red Bull’s decision to fast-track him.
“It was clearly for all of us that Max is a real special driver,” he said. “It was even more clear for us after the race in Germany at the Norisring.
“It was a wet race in Formula 3, and the lap times are around 58, 57 seconds. Max was one and a half seconds faster than the rest of the field.
“He was flying in the wet conditions. This shows you that he’s extraordinary.
“This reminded me of Michael Schumacher at the Salzburgring, around ’86 or ’87 in Formula Ford. It was also very wet. Michael was flying there, he was far ahead of the rest of the field.”
Max Verstappen put Lando Norris in his place with one Japanese Grand Prix move
Like Tost, Flavio Briatore compared Verstappen to Schumacher in a recent interview. That compliment is particularly meaningful because Briatore won two titles with the German at Bennetton in the ’90s.
This season, Verstappen is looking to equal Schumacher’s record of five consecutive titles. Impressively, he’s just one point behind Lando Norris ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Verstappen called his 2024 triumph his most impressive yet, but winning it this year would be even better. McLaren clearly have the fastest car, whereas the Red Bull driver started last season with a dominant package.
With a historic pole lap and controlled win in Japan, he made it clear that he’ll still be difficult to beat. Tost says Verstappen reminded Norris he was the world champion by holding his line as the Briton ran onto the grass on the pit exit.
