Horner amazed by Verstappen: "21st birthday but he drove like a veteran"

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has expressed how impressed he's been with his driver Max Verstappen, who was voted Driver of the Day once again as he finished fifth after starting in P19.

Verstappen, who celebrated his 21st birthday on the day of the Russian Grand Prix, was incredible in the first few laps of the race. He really flew through the field, taking casualties left right and centre. It took him only eight laps to get to P5, behind Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari.

“Twenty-first birthday today and he drove like a veteran," Horner was quoted by GrandPrix247.

“I think it was one of the most astounding first few laps we’ve seen for a long time… He led from lap 14 all the way to lap 42 - it was just a shame he had to stop.”

When he did stop, he came out in fifth, twelve seconds behind Raikkonen but on fresh ultra-softs, giving him an edge over the Finn. A charge was expected from the Dutchman, but it didn't come, and he eventually had to settle for P5.

“We were hoping for a safety car, I think that would have been the only realistic chance (of a podium)," Horner continued.

“If it had grouped the field up in the last third of the race, then there might have been a chance on a grippier tyre.”

The team principal is very happy with the form Verstappen has been in since the Monaco Grand Prix, where he ended a spell of races that were ruined because of his own mistakes.

“He’s driven some great races so he’s maturing, he’s obviously got quite a reasonable amount of experience now and he’s performing at an incredibly high level.”