Max Verstappen suffers crash in first lap of Formula One Grand Prix
Max Verstappen has suffered a crash at the Dutch Grand Prix.
The 28-year-old lost control of his car on the track during the first lap. Rainy conditions had taken place around 30-40 minutes before lights out.
The four time world champion hit a wall at high speed, causing damage to his car, although confirmed that he was okay.
The spinning vehicle was narrowly avoided by Pierre Gasly.
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He climbed out of the car, unhurt. He was checked over by the medical team, before walking back to the pits.
“Yeah, that’s it,” he could be heard saying on the radio after the crash, after swearing and then apologizing for ending the race early.
The race was red flagged to remove Verstappen's car away from the track.
It marks a number of setbacks for the star, who had announced he was suffering from an illness before the Dutch Grand Prix, saying he was experiencing flu like symptoms.
“I’ve felt better, yes,” he told media.
“Yeah, just not a lot of energy.
“It hasn’t been great all weekend. It’s just not pleasant. Just sick, like everyone else when you’re sick," he continued, although said he doesn't think it would affect him too much on the track.
It came after a disappointing qualifying session.
It's a far cry from Verstappen's past appearances at his home Grand Prix, having won the title in 2021, 2022 and 2023. He finished runner up in 2024, and last year, 2025.
Unfortunately, it marks the last race on his home turf, after it was announced that organizers have decided not to renew the contract with F1 management. Therefore, it's been discontinued for 2027.
However, the 28-year-old announced earlier in the week that he had extended his contract with Red Bull until the end of 2030.
"I was closer to retiring than changing teams," he said after he had faced questions about his future.
Verstappen has never shied away from his feelings about the sport, slamming fans ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023.
He labelled it as '99 percent show and 1 percent sport' following the opening ceremony.
"I think if you would actually put more time into the actual sport and what we are actually trying to achieve here," he told press.
"Because as a little kid we [drivers] grew up to be a world champion. If the sport would put more focus onto these kinds of things and also what a team is doing, what they are achieving and what they are working for, then these kinds of things are way more important to look at than having all these random shows all over the place."
He then said that most of the fans 'party and drink' as well as 'seeing DJs'.
"I understand that fans maybe need something to do as well around a track, but I think it's more important that you make them understand what we do as a sport," Verstappen said.
"Most of them just come to have a party, drink, see a DJ play or a performance act - I mean I can do that all over the world, I can go to Ibiza and get completely [drunk] you know?"
Topics: Sport
Kiesha Dosanjh