Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing, the youngest driver to ever start a Formula One race , had been considered a future star since early in his career. But it was not until this year that he started to live up to that billing, establishing himself at the front of the grid.

Verstappen, 21 , of the Netherlands has won twice this season, in Austria and in Germany , finished on the podium three other times and has one pole position.

“Since Montreal last year he’s really just stepped things up a gear, and he’s been a phenomenal force whenever he’s been in the car,” said Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, referring to Verstappen’s two wins and seven other finishes on the podium through the rest of 2018. “The way he started this season has been outstanding.”

Verstappen’s performance at the start of this year has lifted him to third in the drivers’ championship after 14 races , trailing Lewis Hamilton of England and his Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas of Finland. The Mercedes team considers Verstappen to be a serious threat to the title .