Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen’s spectactular crash at the Monaco Grand Prix in 2018 was a turning point for the driver’s season. Christian Horner, team boss for Red Bull, said Verstappen had suffered a series of crashes or mishaps earlier in the season, culminating in the practice crash that saw him fail to compete in the qualifying stage.

Horner, quoted by Sky Sports, said fortunes have since turned around for the young Dutchman.

He said, “That hurt him quite badly because he’s obviously extremely quick in Monaco – right up until the point he crashed. That was a tough outcome for him and, since that point, he has driven incredibly well.”

Verstappen is now out-performing his more senior teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, with podium finishes in recent races, and several qualifications as the lead car.

In Russia, he started at the back of the grid to finish fifth in the race, with an amazing first few laps, where he passed 14 cars.

Verstappen is still only 21 years old.