Exactly thirty-one years ago, Jos Verstappen made his debut in Formula 1. In 1994, he was hired as a test and reserve driver for Benetton, the team we now know as Alpine. After regular driver JJ Lehto broke a vertebra in a crash, it was up to Verstappen to take his place alongside Michael Schumacher. Let’s take a trip back to his first Grands Prix.
It’s March 27, 1994, and a new Formula 1 season is about to begin. For Dutch fans, it promises to be an extra exciting year; for the first time since the departure of Huub Rothengatter, there is a Dutch driver on the grid again. Finnish driver JJ Lehto, who was supposed to race alongside Michael Schumacher for Benetton this season, broke a vertebra, giving the 22-year-old reserve driver Jos Verstappen the chance to prove himself. The opening race in Brazil will be his first real test.
Verstappen’s Qualification and Race Experience
During the qualification, Max Verstappen secures the ninth starting position. Ayrton Senna and teammate Schumacher occupy the first row. In the race, Verstappen becomes embroiled in a heated battle for the seventh place. However, in the thirty-fifth lap, things go completely wrong. In a fight with Martin Brundle and Eddie Irvine, the Dutchman is forced onto the grass, causing him to lose control of his Benetton. Four cars collide, and Verstappen’s vehicle tumbles over Brundle’s McLaren. Miraculously, all drivers emerge unscathed from the crash. It’s certainly a spectacular debut.
