Max Verstappen Reveals Why 2018 Was The Hardest Year Of His Career

It is easy to look at Max Verstappen today, a four-time World Champion and certified grid-dominating machine, and assume he was built in a lab to crush dreams and collect trophies.

We’ve gotten used to the Dutch anthem playing every Sunday. But before the dominance, before the record-breaking streaks, and before he became the inevitable force of Formula 1, there was 2018.

If you’ve been watching F1 long enough, you remember the start of that season. It wasn’t just “bad.” It was a disaster class in how to throw away points.

And according to the man himself, that chaotic, metal-crunching year was actually the most crucial season of his life.

1. The “Crashstappen” Era: A Rough Start

The beginning of 2018 was painful to watch. Verstappen wasn’t just making minor errors; he was finding new and creative ways to ruin his own race weekends. It started in Australia, but the wheels really fell off in Bahrain with a Q1 crash and a DNF. Then came China, where he got impatient and punted Sebastian Vettel into a spin—a move that screamed “rookie error” despite his experience. But the absolute peak of the drama? The Azerbaijan Grand Prix. We all remember the Red Bull Civil War. Verstappen and his teammate Daniel Ricciardo spent the whole race trading paint until they finally took each other out in spectacular fashion at Turn 1. Adrian Newey looked like he wanted to cry. Christian Horner looked like he wanted to scream. Then came Monaco. FP3. Verstappen binned the car right before qualifying, forcing him to start from the back on a track where overtaking is basically illegal. While Ricciardo went on to win in the sister car, Max was left fighting for scraps. It was the lowest point of his career. In a recent interview, Verstappen admitted that the first 7-8 races were a “negative spiral.” He was trying too hard, overdriving the car, and getting upset with himself. It’s a rare moment of vulnerability from a driver who usually seems bulletproof.

2. The Montreal Reset

So, how do you go from crashing every other weekend to becoming a legend? For Verstappen, the switch flipped in Canada. “I had a turnaround in Montreal,” he explained. “From that day, that’s really where it clicked.” He didn’t reinvent the wheel. He didn’t suddenly change his entire driving style—despite what every armchair expert and journalist suggested at the time. Instead, he went back to basics. He had serious chats with his father, Jos, and focused on the “little details.” It wasn’t about slowing down; it was about knowing when to push. The results speak for themselves. After that dismal start, Verstappen went on a tear, racking up two wins and 11 podiums, including five in a row to close out the year. That mental reset in 2018 laid the groundwork for the 2021 title fight. You don’t beat Lewis Hamilton over a full season unless you’ve learned how to stop beating yourself first.

3. The Ricciardo Factor

It is also worth noting the role Daniel Ricciardo played in Verstappen’s development. While they crashed in Baku, Max admits that the Honey Badger’s presence was vital. “Daniel is, in general, always a very positive person,” Verstappen said. “It’s better than having a grumpy teammate who doesn’t really speak to you.” Having a teammate who could laugh off the tension (and maybe teach him a thing or two about race craft) helped keep the garage from turning toxic during those rough months. It’s a lesson Verstappen says he carried forward when Pierre Gasly joined the team. Fast forward to the present day, and things are getting spicy again. With the RB21 looking troublesome and the internal chaos at Red Bull (the sacking of Horner, the power struggles), the rumor mill is spinning. Verstappen has openly admitted there were “talks” with Mercedes. “I’m not going to lie. For sure, there were talks,” he said. While he insists it was just a friendly chat, the context of 2018 matters here. Verstappen learned back then that he needed a stable environment to thrive. If Red Bull can’t provide the car—or the peace—he might just take his talents (and his #1 plate) elsewhere. 2018 taught Verstappen resilience. It taught him how to bounce back from failure. And considering the current state of Red Bull Racing, he might need to tap into that 2018 mindset more than ever next season.

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