After the United States Grand Prix, Isack Hadjar was critical of Red Bull's execution, as was Max Verstappen. Both drivers were unhappy with the strategy and, on top of that, were hampered by two problems that have been troubling the Formula 1 team for a long time: technical issues with the team radio and problematic starts.
"I have poor radio, I don't even know what's happening. And whenever I drop the clutch, it's going into a nightmare," Hadjar said in the media pen on Sunday night. "If we fix these two issues, we might already be on the podium. It seems like we can do the hardest things, but we can't do the silly things."
When asked about those comments during the media day in Mexico, Hadjar acknowledged that he is perfectly entitled to speak his mind about the team – which is, after all, exactly what Red Bull wants: drivers with character and opinions of their own – but that he perhaps could have worded certain things a little differently.
"I didn't really think," he said. "We need to be honest with ourselves as well, but there's stuff that I should have kept for myself. I know that."
Since then, Red Bull has **** ysed the race weekend in Texas in detail which revealed that the strategy could indeed have been better, something Hadjar explained further in Mexico.

#hadjar #drivers #issues #radio

Ferrari had a perfectly good explanation for Austin qualifying ready before the cars were back in the garage: the straights. Lewis Hamilton said rivals keep accelerating where the Ferrari lifts, and he put the Red Bull Ford power unit's advantage at roughly three to four tenths a lap, while admitting he hadn't seen the data that weekend. It is a tidy story. It is also only half of what the official timing sheet says.
Here is the awkward detail: Charles Leclerc's quickest lap of the weekend came in Q2, not Q3. He went 1:34.198 to top the second session, then 1:34.267 in the shootout. Had he simply repeated the Q2 lap, it would have been quicker than every Q3 time except Kimi Antonelli's pole lap of 1:34.035. A straight-line deficit doesn't switch on between sessions, so something else changed in Q3.
Lining up each driver's Q2 and Q3 laps is revealing. Hamilton found 0.522s between sessions and still ended up fifth, 0.276s off pole. Isack Hadjar found 0.637s. Max Verstappen found 0.257s and Antonelli 0.243s. Leclerc found nothing; he went backwards by 0.069s and finished fourth, 0.232s adrift.
Leclerc's own explanation was the track cooling down and the tyres not coming up to temperature cleanly in Q3. Fred Vasseur said Ferrari was in the pole fight until the final corner. Those aren't the words of a team that was out-powered by half a second down the straights. They describe a team that left time in the final sector on a one-lap run where the window for the tyres is narrow.
To be clear, Hamilton's straight-line complaint can be true at the same time. A car that gives away a few tenths in a straight line needs everything else to be perfect on a qualifying lap, and Ferrari's margin for a slightly cold tyre is thinner than it looks. That is my read, not something either driver said, but it fits the numbers: Ferrari looked like pole contenders in Q2 and a fraction short in Q3 because the margin vanished the moment the tyres weren't ideal.

#pole #found #straight #qualifying

Max Verstappen has joked that his former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo is "a smart man" for picking him for his dream Le Mans line-up. In fact, he revealed that the pair of them had already discussed the possibility of it.
In a recent interview with the Beyond the Grid podcast, the Australian talked about his time at Red Bull and his exit from Formula 1. While he discussed what was next for him, he said that a Le Mans entry could be on the list. When asked who he'd team up with, Max Verstappen was the first name on his list. Sebastian Vettel was also an option, making something he called a "nice little Red Bull reunion" of sorts.
"He's a smart man to choose me in the car," Verstappen joked. "But we have to see. It just depends on a lot of things."
The four-time world champion has made no secret of his interest in endurance racing with him recently competing at Portimao, where he and his team finished ninth. He did, however, stress that he would only take on Le Mans with full preparation.
"Also for me, if I want to do it, I want to do it proper with really good prep. And at the moment I cannot do that. I don't have the time - the free time to dedicate to a Le Mans project with all the other things that I'm also doing outside of Formula 1."

#time #bull #smart #list

Round 18 of the 2026 Formula 1 season heads to the Circuit of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix, from 23-25 October.
In the previous race in Singapore, it was a dominant weekend for Max Verstappen who qualified on pole and won for both the sprint and main race - his first victories at the Marina Bay Circuit.
The Ferraris were consistently on the Dutchman's tail for the majority of the weekend, but a poor strategy call from Lewis Hamilton meant he could only finish sixth. His team-mate Charles Leclerc finished second with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli third.
Antonelli has his first opportunity to secure this year's world **** le in Austin. For that to happen, the Italian must win the race with Mercedes team-mate Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton finishing fifth or lower.
The clocks go back in the UK on race day so we will be on BST for the Friday and Saturday sessions but GMT for the race.

#team

Max Verstappen has admitted he came close to stepping away from Formula 1 before extending his deal with Red Bull last month, despite holding discussions with rival teams.
Speaking to German publication Bild after agreeing a deal until 2030, the four-time world champion discussed retirement thoughts and confirmed talks took place with McLaren.
"You have to take every conversation with another team seriously," Verstappen said. "But in the end, I was closer to quitting Formula 1 than to signing with another racing team."
"You either quit or you don't, so it's a 50/50 decision," he added. "I seriously considered calling it quits. But at the end of the day, I just love racing."
The 28-year-old won four consecutive F1 **** les from 2021 to 2024, but remains winless this season. He sits sixth in the standings following Sunday's runner-up finish at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, 147 points adrift of Mercedes leader Kimi Antonelli.

#bull

MADRID (AP) — Changes are expected to the new Madring track next year after its lackluster debut at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
Organizers said they are open to trying to improve the layout that produced virtually no overtaking opportunities and drew widespread criticism from Formula 1 drivers. The lack of track action was criticized by fans as well as F1 returned to Madrid after a 45-year absence.
Event director Luis García Abad said that governing body FIA has already indicated the changes that might be needed on the urban track that mixes existing roads and purpose-built sections. Madrid signed a 10-year contract to be on the F1 calendar.
"Well, to be honest, FIA has clearly defined how to improve the circuit layout, and we will be open to that because we will have to refurbish the circuit for next year," Abad told Motorsport.com.
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli won Sunday's race after pole-sitter Lando Norris caught an unlucky break with the timing of the deployment of the virtual safety car. Norris ended third, behind Max Verstappen.

#track #improve

MADRID (AP) — Formula 1 drivers enjoyed the high adrenaline produced by the Madring track at the Spanish Grand Prix while complaining about the lack of overtaking opportunities on the new circuit.
They also called for other improvements such as reducing the pit lane length. Madrid has produced a hybrid urban circuit using existing roads and purpose-built sections for its first grand prix in 45 years.
"In terms of track design I think it can be better," Red Bull's Max Verstappen said on Saturday. "Input from drivers in the future on track design can also help a lot. ... If you want to have better racing, overtaking, I think there can be a few corners that can be changed."
Verstappen added, "There's always a way to find an overtaking opportunity around a track."
There were only a few overtaking maneuvers in the first days of action at Madring across F1, F2 and the F3 series. Some commentators called Madring the Spanish Monaco.

#madring #overtaking #spanish

Defending champion Lando Norris narrowly beat championship leader Kimi Antonelli to claim pole position for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday.
The McLaren driver topped the timesheets with the best time of 1 minute 31.824 seconds on the new Madrid circuit to take his third pole of the season.
Antonelli was just 0.011 seconds behind, while Max Verstappen of Red Bull completed the top three, 0.140 seconds off the pace.
Lewis Hamilton thought he would recover from a crash in the final practice session in style as he had provisional pole with the fastest time after the first flying laps.
But the seven-time champion was beaten by Antonelli, who then lost the top position to Norris.

#champion

Lando Norris took a superb pole position for McLaren at the Spanish Grand Prix, beating Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in a breathless final few seconds of qualifying.
"Oh, what a lap, gorgeous," said an ecstatic Norris after pipping world championship leader Antonelli by just 0.011 seconds. "Oh, that might be my best one."
Verstappen was 0.140secs off the pace, as all three moved ahead of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari.
The seven-time champion had held the top spot after the first runs in the final session.
Hamilton's team-mate Charles Leclerc was fifth, ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

#mercedes

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli climbed from 19th on the grid to win the Italian Grand Prix - his home race - in one of the great Formula 1 drives.
Antonelli extended his lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 66 points over team-mate George Russell.
Max Verstappen, in the Red Bull, finished third to complete the podium at Monza.
BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before round 14 of the 2026 season in Madrid, Spain.
Antonelli 'walks over water' for win that will go down in F1 folklore

#grand #formula #verstappen

Round 14 of the 2026 Formula 1 season heads to the new Madring circuit, for the Spanish Grand Prix, from 11-13 September.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli came back from 19th on the grid for a spectacular win in front of his home fans at the Italian Grand Prix.
In another surprise during the weekend, Alpine's Pierre Gasly managed to secure the first pole position of his career on Saturday.
Antonelli was joined by his Mercedes team-mate George Russell on the Monza podium, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen third.
It was a disappointing weekend for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc crashing out of the race and Lewis Hamilton finishing sixth.

#madring

For the vast majority of the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, George Russell appeared completely in control of his own destiny. After pulling off a sharp opening-lap move on pole-sitter Pierre Gasly and surviving the Lap 3 red flag triggered by Charles Leclerc's crash, the Mercedes driver looked poised to convert his front-row start into a commanding victory at the Temple of Speed.
Instead, a critical strategic gamble under a late Virtual Safety Car completely upended the race, leaving Russell defenseless on fading rubber while his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli charged from the back of the grid to **** the win.
Mercedes opted for an extreme tire management strategy with Russell, keeping him out on a single set of hard compound tires following the early race stoppage. But when a late Virtual Safety Car period neutralized the field, the Silver Arrows pit wall was forced to make a high-stakes tactical call: preserve track position or pit for fresher, faster rubber.
While Russell remained out on track to protect the race lead, Antonelli and Red Bull's Max Verstappen both dove into the pits for fresh tires. The stark difference in grip proved decisive in the final laps, as Antonelli rapidly eliminated the gap and swept past Russell to claim an astonishing victory from 19th on the grid.
Speaking post-race, Russell admitted he never expected the team to bring Antonelli in.

#russell

Formula 1 heads to the iconic Monza circuit this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix and round 13 of the 2026 season.
Kimi Antonelli, who is expected to take a grid penalty at his home race, leads the world championship standings by 59 points to Mercedes teammate George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, with the Italian having finished second at the last race in Zandvoort.
At the Dutch GP, reigning F1 world champion Lando Norris won his second straight grand prix with a composed drive at Zandvoort, after recording a sublime pole position. Norris is now fourth in the drivers' standings, 83 points behind Antonelli.
Ferrari will be hoping to land a victory at their traditional home race, with Charles Leclerc a two-time winner in Monza and Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who crashed out on the first lap last time out, will be looking to bounce back.
Here are the standings after the Italian GP:

#race #standings #monza

Andrea Kimi Antonelli happy at Mercedes and he knows it is divided fan group with him leading and Ferrari doing well for Italian fans coming to the F1 Italian GP, as Lewis Hamilton chimes in.
When Antonelli arrived at the scene, it was not clear to everyone how well he could do, even though there was hype about him certainly. After how F1 2025 went, some enthusiasm dipped but midway into 2026, it is going through the roof for the Italian, especially in Italy.
When he went to pick up the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy earlier this year, there was massive stream of fans waiting for him. Even at race tracks, there is considerable growth in the numbers. In general as well, Italian fans are quite emotional about their sports persons and also teams.
Ferrari is at par with football if not larger, in certain sphere. For a top Italian driver to race for an Italian manufacturer is icing on the cake. The last to drive in F1 was Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009. It's been 17 years since and it will be longer than that as Antonelli is happy to be at Mercedes.
The Italian was taken up by the German team at a very young age and rose through the ranks, with Toto Wolff's backing. He is their prodigy, much like how Max Verstappen is for Red Bull and Charles Leclerc is in some ways for Ferrari. And for the near future, Antonelli doesn't see himself anywhere else.

#antonelli #Ferrari #even #race

Lando Norris insists he had opportunities to leave McLaren before signing a contract extension with the F1 team.
The reigning world champion, who has been with McLaren for a decade since joining their junior programme, at the weekend signed a new deal with the Woking-based outfit until 2030.
The 26-year-old Briton won his first world championship last year, pipping Max Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri to the ******* le, and believes he was rewarded for his loyalty to the team in more difficult years.
That being said, Norris says there were other options on the table.
"There was opportunity of course," Norris told Sky Sports F1. But opportunity that is positive. There's opportunities to gamble at times. I'm a driver that personally I would take one or two tougher years over instant success - as I did a few years ago with McLaren.

#years

How to watch F1 2026 in USA: Live streams, TV channels and full race calendar for the season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The new F1 season is officially back as Lando Norris begins his quest to defend his world championship **** le following an epic 2025 campaign that saw McLaren dominate from start to finish.
With new technical regulations, new drivers and even a new track this year, 22 drivers and 11 teams will contest the 2026 F1 world championship.
Across 24 race weekends, six of them including sprint races, fans will follow every twist and turn of the campaign with plenty of questions needing answers.
Will Norris defend his **** le? Can Lewis Hamilton finally get going at Ferrari? Is Max Verstappen going to bounce back and win a fifth world championship? We're about to find out.

#campaign

Kimi Antonelli is going to start the Italian Grand Prix from somewhere near the back of the grid, and Mercedes chose that outcome on purpose.
Team boss Toto Wolff confirmed after the Dutch Grand Prix that the championship leader will take a fresh power unit at his home race in Monza, triggering a grid penalty that could push him to the back row depending on how many components get swapped. It's a deliberate hit to a driver sitting on one of the healthier points cushions in recent memory, and it hands a very specific kind of opportunity to Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc heading into the one weekend of the year built for making up ground through raw speed rather than clever strategy.
Under F1's power unit rules, teams get a fixed allocation of components for the season, and going even one over that limit on a single part triggers an automatic grid penalty the next time it's used. Antonelli's retirement in Barcelona earlier this year, an electrical failure that erased a big chunk of his points lead in one afternoon, is why Mercedes decided a scheduled penalty beats another unscheduled DNF. Wolff didn't dress it up when he explained the choice: "With Kimi, we're taking the full thing. Our calculations say that that's the best track to take it. Obviously, algorithms don't take their nationality into consideration. We're here to fight for a championship and not get the most PR."
Monza's reputation as the easiest track on the calendar to recover lost ground is part of that math. Pierre Gasly won there from tenth in 2020, Daniel Ricciardo won from a midfield slot the following year, and Max Verstappen took victory in 2022 after starting five places back. We covered just how thin these allocations have gotten across the grid after the Belgian Grand Prix, when a single weekend produced a 30-place penalty for Isack Hadjar and 10-place drops apiece for Lando Norris, Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz, all for the same rule Antonelli is about to run into at Monza.
Recovering from the back isn't quite the free pass it used to be, though. DRS is gone under the 2026 regulations, replaced by a manual override system that only unlocks within a fixed distance of the car ahead and draws from a battery that's already stretched thin at a circuit with almost no meaningful braking to recharge it. Monza asks cars to scavenge energy at full throttle instead of under braking, which is a very different proposition for a driver trying to slice through traffic than it was in the DRS era. Antonelli might still make Monza look easy. He just won't have quite the same tools to do it with.

#prix #back #penalty #take

A docuseries on reigning F1 champion Lando Norris is in the works, with filming already on, as shown by the Brit on his social media.
There will be more OTT content from the F1 world, after McLaren's Norris confirmed a docuseries on his life – more on the personal side – on Prime Video. The Brit took to social media to confirm filming, showing the 'LN x Prime' tape. The working **** le of the series is 'Lando'.
It is set to be a three-part show that goes on air sometime in 2027, with Box to Box Films given the charge to direct the series. Tom Keeling, Warren Smith and Jon Smith are billed as the executive producers, while Clare Little in the series producer and Ben Phethean is the series director.
Prime Video's synopsis for the series goes as: "A docuseries offering a never-before-seen look at the current F1 World Champion: a man who is not only defending his crown but also giving unprecedented access to a more personal side of his life, and what matters to him beyond the racetrack."
After years of wait, Norris finally took the F1 drivers' **** le in 2025 after beating McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. The Brit became the first champion from McLaren since Lewis Hamilton did in 2008, joining an illustrious list.

#lando

Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen is stepping back into his karting roots for a live racing spectacle that's sure to be loads of fun. Red Bull has officially announced "Max vs. 100," an event where Verstappen will attempt to navigate a packed 101-kart grid and pass 100 drivers to claim victory.
The live broadcast will air globally on September 16th via Disney+ and the ESPN App.
Instead of going toe-to-toe with his usual Formula 1 rivals, Verstappen will line up at the very back of the grid. His goal is simple yet daunting: overtake all 100 amateur competitors ahead of him before the checkered flag drops.
The lineup of 100 opponents includes:
Red Bull Endorsed Athletes: Competitors across extreme and endurance sports, including ultrarunner Arda Saatçi and freestyle mountain biker Matt Jones.

#verstappen #formula #bull #back

Formula 1 star Max Verstappen will take on a new challenge next month when he goes up against 100 drivers in what has been touted as the world's biggest kart race.
The Red Bull driver will line up on the back of the grid at a purpose-built kart layout at Silverstone on 16 September, and be tasked with overtaking all 100 rivals before the time runs out.
The race, named 'Max vs 100' will be broadcast live on Disney+ around the globe and ESPN in the US.
The Dutchman will be up against a field comprising stars from various disciplines, including Red Bull athletes, celebrities, content creators and everyday fans. While the full entry list is yet to be released, Red Bull has already confirmed the participation of ultrarunner Arda Saatçi, basketball star Chris Matthews, freestyle mountain biker Matt Jones and streamers TheGrefg, Caedrel and TheDonato.
Verstappen, who started his own career in karting at the age of four before rising through the ranks to make his F1 debut with Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls) at the age of 17, said: "In go-karts you learn all the basics: starts, defending, overtaking.

#verstappen #race #september

Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson will remain with Red Bull Racing in the lead-up to the Italian Grand Prix in just under two weeks. The New Zealander is being prepared for the scenario in which the recovering Isack Hadjar, who suffered a wrist injury, is still unavailable in Monza, GPblog understands.
Liam Lawson earned an unexpected promotion to the main team last weekend for the Dutch Grand Prix, after Isack Hadjar sustained a fracture in his wrist during a practice session. As a result, Max Verstappen's teammate was unable to take part in the latest Formula 1 race at the Zandvoort circuit.
In announcing the temporary driver swap, Red Bull stated that Hadjar was expected to miss only the Dutch Grand Prix, with further evaluations to follow after the race to **** s his availability for the next round in Italy. GPblog has heard that Hadjar indicated internally last weekend in the Netherlands that his wrist already felt better than it had a few days earlier. The Frenchman is said to be optimistic about a swift return.
Should it become clear in the coming week that Hadjar is still not fit enough to race in Monza, Liam Lawson will once again step in for Red Bull Racing. With that possibility in mind, Red Bull has decided to keep the New Zealander with the team for the time being, so that he would arrive in Italy better prepared than he was in the Netherlands, if needed.
Lawson proved to be a fine substitute for Hadjar in Zandvoort. The 24-year-old driver finished seventh in the Grand Prix, which, given the relative performance of the cars, was exactly where Lawson could reasonably be expected to end up. Considering Lawson's performance, there seems to be no pressing need for Red Bull to rush Hadjar back into the car sooner than is advisable.

#hadjar #bull #racing #liam

Lando Norris of McLaren F1 Team celebrates his victory during race of Formula 1 Dutch GP at Zandvoort Circuit in Zandvoort, Netherlands, on August 23, 2026. (Photo by Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Lando Norris drove his McLaren to victory in the final running of the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.
Having started from pole position, the defending champion lost ground to Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli at the restart after the race was red-flagged due to home hero Max Verstappen's heavy crash.
The Briton managed to retake the lead midway through the race, eventually taking the checkered flag 11.536 seconds ahead of Antonelli for his second straight victory of the season.
George Russell, fresh off a sprint victory just a day before, rounded out the podium in third in the other Mercedes.

#team

A venue Formula 1 sadly waves goodbye to after a quickfire six-year re-introduction, Zandvoort gave us one more thriller on the beach as the sport returned following the summer recess. Lando Norris kept his cool to secure a second consecutive victory, amid one massive first-lap crash for Max Verstappen and various yellow-flag windows of opportunity. Yet the host venue of the Dutch Grand Prix is also a glaring anomaly in the career of Lewis Hamilton: a circuit he has failed to win a grand prix at.
Things could have been different, mind. Four years ago, Hamilton launched into one of his most infamous tirades, later apologising after stating his Mercedes team had "f***** him" with a strategy call which saw hopes of triumph fade. On Sunday, Hamilton was more measured and nuanced with his words after finishing fourth, missing out on a podium after failing to steer his car past a valiant George Russell. But another underlying sense of 'what-could-have-been' remained.
"We're just chipping away at it," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "This first half of the season… we've lost three to five tenths on the straight, that's a hard deficit to overcome.
Lewis Hamilton spoke of his frustration after finishing fourth at the Dutch Grand Prix (PA Wire)
"Today was definitely frustrating for me. I'm here to win and I believe this team can win, but to win championships you have to pick up every possible point.

#hamilton #finishing #fourth

Liam Lawson's third race at Red Bull was exactly what Red Bull would have wanted from Liam Lawson. Solid qualifying, right behind Max Verstappen. No big mistakes and strong pace in the race. Points. He finally proved he deserved to be in that seat...
It's just that his third race at Red Bull wasn't Suzuka in April 2025, but Zandvoort some 17 months later.
So, how should we interpret Lawson's weekend? And what does it actually prove?
That Lawson is a capable grand prix driver? No, not that. That's too obvious anyway. One or two races can't change that perception. Everything he's done during his career is enough.
It doesn't prove he's destined to win the world championship either. One weekend is one weekend, after all. You'd need a much broader sample.

#bull #Third #solid #points

The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix was supposed to be a triumphant home race for Max Verstappen, but it ended in absolute disaster before the first lap was even completed. Navigating a treacherous, damp-but-drying Zandvoort circuit on slick tyres, Verstappen suffered a massive shunt in the final corner, spearing his Red Bull into the barriers and bringing out an immediate red flag.
While the sheer violence of the impact left the home crowd in stunned silence, former Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg immediately took to the Sky Sports F1 broadcast to dissect exactly what went wrong. According to Rosberg's detailed ***** ysis, Verstappen's race-ending crash wasn't caused by a mechanical failure or contact, but rather a microscopic misjudgment of the circuit's drying racing line.
The opening lap of the Grand Prix was defined by incredibly tricky mixed conditions. While the track was dry enough for the entire grid to start on slick tyres, significant damp patches remained off the ideal line, particularly through the high-speed banking of the final corner.
Speaking alongside Karun Chandhok on the broadcast, Rosberg highlighted that Verstappen took an unusually tight trajectory through the sweeping right-hander. "Max is clearly tighter than everybody else," Rosberg observed during the replay. He noted that while the circuit was drying, the actual safe, dry patch of asphalt was "offset by like 50 cm from the inside".
By hugging the inside line too aggressively, Verstappen placed his slick tyres directly onto the lingering moisture. "I think he just exaggerated a little bit there and just put a bit too much throttle down and you're gone," Rosberg explained.

#grand

Formula 1's Dutch Grand Prix has been red-flagged after one lap following an enormous accident for home hero Max Verstappen.
At the end of lap 1 on a damp circuit, Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull as he tagged the white line on the inside of Zandvoort's final turn - the banked, flat out Luyendyk corner leading onto the main straight.
Verstappen veered head on into the outside wall, before his car crossed the track and came to a stand still on the inside.
The Dutchman soon reported he was "OK" and apologised to his team for ending his race early.
Verstappen was fortunate not to be collected by any other cars, with Alpine's Pierre Gasly taking avoiding action, while in the background Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto also narrowly avoiding a huge accident after spinning in front of his team-mate Nico hulkenberg.

#avoiding #formula #bull

Max Verstappen crashed out of his home race at Zandvoort in dramatic scenes on the opening lap of the Dutch Grand Prix.
The four-time world champion, a three-time winner at his home event, lost control of his Red Bull car on the final banked turn on the first lap of the race.
Verstappen spun and slammed into the concrete wall, launching his smashed car back onto the circuit. Fortunately, he wasn't hit by any car behind him.
However, it was a sad end to Verstappen's racing in Formula 1 in Zandvoort, with the venue hosting F1 for the final time this weekend.
Verstappen, who escaped from his ***** pit unharmed, said over team radio: "Yeah that's it, I'm out. Ah f***, sorry guys."

#verstappen #time #zandvoort #prix

Formula 1 returns from its August break on Sunday for Round 12 of the championship at the Dutch Grand Prix.
McLaren's Lando Norris starts on the pole alongside fellow Briton George Russell of Mercedes. Championship points leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes starts third, flanked on the second row by Norris' McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Hometown man Max Verstappen will start seventh behind the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Follow the action along with Yahoo Sports:

#norris #starts #grand

The X account RBR Daily needed one word to frame Max Verstappen's radio dig at George Russell. "Max," the account wrote, adding crying and skull emojis to a broadcast graphic posted after Dutch Grand Prix qualifying.
Max
pic.twitter.com/CmmSIk0Iaw— RBR Daily (RBR_Daily) August 22, 2026
The graphic carried Verstappen's message after a pit-lane release involving Russell. "We'll probably have George crying on the radio about the pit release, but it was nothing unsafe," the Red Bull driver said. The post invited fans to decide whether the line was sharp banter or an unnecessary shot.
Saturday's results influenced that response. Russell had won the Sprint, while Verstappen finished sixth and later said Red Bull needed more overall performance. The Formula 1 qualifying classification then placed Russell second and Verstappen seventh. The Mercedes driver had beaten him in both sessions before the radio comment reached X.

#russell #daily #verstappen #crying

Formula 1 returns from its summer break and heads to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix - for the final time - from 21-23 August.
McLaren's Lando Norris took pole position on Saturday and will be joined on the front row by sprint winner George Russell.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli qualified in third, ahead of Australian Oscar Piastri in fourth.
Dutchman Max Verstappen secured seventh on the grid for his last home race.
Mercedes' Antonelli leads the drivers' championship by 53 points from Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton.

#championship #dutch #august #lando