Toro Rosso junior Max Verstappen, who concluded one of the most impressive rookie years in Formula 1, stated that his ambition in 2016 is to reach the podium and score as many points as possible.

Young Max hopes Toro Rosso's switch from Renault to Ferrari power will help him fulfill his targets, while his massive talent coupled with a year of experience under his belt should indeed elevate the Dutchman's performance level another notch.

"Yeah, 100 points. You have to aim high, right?" Verstappen told Dutch TV channel NOS.

Should he succeed in clinching a podium finish next season, Verstappen would become by far the youngest driver in the history of F1 to achieve such a feat.

Current record holder Sebastian Vettel was 21 when he scored his first podium finish, which also happened to be his maiden Grand Prix victory, In Italy in 2008.

"For third place you would need a good engine," Verstappen concluded. "First or second place I think is too much for now -- you also have to be realistic."

Best of 2015 ... Crashes

2015 F1 technical review

2015 F1 season: F1i's drivers review 10-1

2015 F1 season: F1i's drivers review 21-11

Use the red tabs on either side of the screen to scroll through more Formula One news and features

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Las Vegas GP: Hamilton continues on top in second practice

Lewis Hamilton put Mercedes on top of the timesheets for the second time in Las…

43 mins ago

2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results

Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas,…

45 mins ago

Leclerc confident Ferrari ‘has a shot’ at F1 Constructors’ title

Charles Leclerc believes that Ferrari has a genuine “shot” at beating rival McLaren to Formula…

2 hours ago

Komatsu: F1 teams united against Audi 2026 cost-cap offset

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed that nine Formula 1 teams stand in opposition…

3 hours ago

Las Vegas GP: Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in trouble-free FP1

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell led the field in a chilly but trouble-free first practice…

4 hours ago

2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results

Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the United…

4 hours ago