See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy JONATHAN MCEVOY, SPORTS WRITER AND DAILY MAIL'S MOTOR RACING WRITER Published: 14:39 BST, 23 August 2026 | Updated: 15:38 BST, 23 August 2026
Max Verstappen dramatically crashed out of the Dutch Grand Prix on the first lap, decelerating from 180mph on the final bend, hitting the concrete wall and ricocheting across the track.He was fortunate not to be caught up in traffic as those behind him came round the corner and he was helpless in his then uncontrollable Red Bull.The home favourite at Zandvoort was straight on the radio to reassure his concerned team that he was not badly hurt. ‘Ah, yes, ****, I’m sorry,’ he said.Verstappen appeared to have slipped on to the white line on the inside edge of the track, which is banked at 18 degrees, as he ran seventh, where he had started on the grid. He hit the outside wall – a major impact.The four-time world champion’s stand-in team-mate Liam Lawson, running behind him, asked: ‘Is he OK? That looked f***ing huge.’ Max Verstappen crashed out of the final Dutch Grand Prix in a horror smash on lap onePierre Gasly of Alpine narrowly escaped banging into Verstappen more by luck than by changing path on a track dampened by rain that started to fall 45 minutes before lights out.Lando Norris, who began on pole, led the race as the red flag was waved and Verstappen’s destroyed car was cleared away, causing a 30-minute delay to proceedings.The crash came just days after Verstappen ended speculation over his future by committing to remain at Red Bull until 2030 - in what could be the final deal of his Formula One career. The four-time world champion held talks with McLaren and was linked to Mercedes over the last couple of years, but he will stay at the team where he has accrued his phenomenal success, news that is expected to be confirmed ahead of his home race in the Netherlands this weekend.His desire to stay where he is comes after a period of negotiations that at times became fractious. His representatives were seeking an increased salary while Red Bull executives were unwilling to improve on his £60million-a-year deal. Compromise has been found to keep their star asset.It ends conjecture over the 28-year-old's plans after he held talks with McLaren boss Zak Brown a couple of months ago.
