Max Verstappen hinted at a big crash at the Dutch Grand Prix before the race even started.
Max Verstappen’s words before the Dutch Grand Prix have come back into focus after he crashed out on the second lap of his final home race. Verstappen started the race in seventh place at Zandvoort, which will soon be leaving the Formula One calendar due to financial issues.
The four-time world champion wanted to finish his last race at home in style and had a special helmet and suit ready. But instead of celebrating his new contract extension with Red Bull, he faced trouble just two laps in.
Heavy rain after Saturday’s Sprint and qualifying made the track slippery, causing a formation lap behind the safety car. Then, on lap two, Verstappen lost control when he hit a wet patch, spun, and crashed into the barrier. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto had some trouble at the same corner but managed to keep racing.
The crash brought out a red flag, leaving Verstappen’s car badly damaged. Luckily, he got out of the car by himself and wasn’t seriously hurt, even though the crash shocked fans worldwide.
Verstappen had actually mentioned the wet conditions on the final corner before the race. According to Erik van Haren from Telegraaf, Verstappen said it was “quite wet” while heading to the grid. During the crash, he was heard apologizing to his team over the radio.
Liam Lawson, who stepped in as Verstappen’s teammate after Isaak Hadjar got injured, showed concern. The New Zealander said, “Is he okay? That was huge.”
Verstappen went to the medical center right away but was fine and later returned to Red Bull’s motorhome, RacingNews365 reported.
Unfortunately, Verstappen’s crash fits a troubling pattern: in the last three races where he qualified seventh (Austria, Silverstone, and Zandvoort), he did not finish.
Recently, there was a lot of talk about Verstappen’s future, with links to Mercedes and McLaren. At one point, he even mentioned the idea of leaving F1 due to frustration with new rules. But just before the Dutch GP, Verstappen signed a new deal to stay with Red Bull through 2030.
After signing, he said, “We have the best people here, and I’m excited to keep working with everyone to get back to the top. That’s the goal we all share and will keep pursuing.”
He added, “The team feels like a second family to me, and I feel right at home. I joined hoping to win races, and what we’ve done together has been amazing — with four World Championships and so many great moments.”
Verstappen finished, “Staying with the same team I’ve been with my whole career is really special and something I’ve always wanted.”