Defending champion Max Verstappen would be aiming for his fourth win of the season this weekend at the Spanish GP

Max Verstappen is focused on building on the momentum he has created with back-to-back F1 wins as he heads to the Spanish Grand Prix. Verstappen could return to the top of the World Championship standings at the Spanish Grand Prix, should the scenario materialise where he takes the win and Charles Leclerc fails to score. Verstappen has really fond memories at Circuit de Catalunya. His maiden F1 victory came in the same venue, driving for Red Bull as a 18-year-old. Verstappen will return to Barcelona this weekend, for the first time as a World Champion, having dethroned Lewis Hamilton in 2021.

Speaking ahead of the Spanish GP, Verstappen said – “We had an incredible week in Miami, I’ve had some time to rest with my family since and now I’m looking forward to driving in Barcelona again. I have a lot of good memories at the track, from my first win in Formula 1 back in 2016 when I was 18.”

The defending champion is confident of doing well in Barcelona. “Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a track that we all know very well as a team, due to the amount of testing we have done there over the years so, unlike Miami, we have a substantial amount of data to use ahead of the race. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going from the last few races with a clean start from Friday onwards”, he added.

Max Verstappen holds multiple records at the Spanish GP

Max Verstappen is the youngest champion of the Spanish GP. Verstappen became the youngest winner in F1 history (at the age of 18 years, 228 days) by some margin when he won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix on his race debut for Red Bull Racing. Verstappen took the record from Sebastian Vettel, who won the 2008 Italian Grand Prix aged 21 years, 73 days. Vettel still holds the record as the youngest Grand Prix pole-sitter, which he also achieved at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.

The official lap record for the current Grand Prix circuit layout is 1:18.149 and it was also set by Max Verstappen driving for Red Bull Racing in the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix.

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