Max Verstappen made a shocking mistake at the end of the session – here are the images.
No, Max Verstappen’s home weekend hasn’t started in the best way. In FP1 of the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, the four-time world champion finished only sixth in a session marked by… a curious and bizarre incident in the closing moments.
Norris and McLaren on top, Aston Martin surprise
Fastest of all was Lando Norris, followed by his teammate Oscar Piastri, confirming McLaren’s Papaya dominance. Surprisingly, both Aston Martins slotted into third and fourth, with Lance Stroll ahead of Fernando Alonso.
It was a tough day for Ferrari and Mercedes: Charles Leclerc ended up 14th, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton in 15th (who also had a scary spin at Turn 3).
Chaos on track: many mistakes, Antonelli stops early
The session was full of interruptions and plot twists:
- Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda both ran through the gravel without consequences.
- Kimi Antonelli, making his Zandvoort F1 debut, was forced to stop after just 10 minutes when he got stuck in the gravel.
Verstappen’s rookie-style blunder at Zandvoort
But the most incredible moment came right at the end with the home hero. During a practice start, Verstappen went straight on at Turn 1, ending up in the gravel to the surprise — and slight embarrassment — of many, given the reigning champion’s talent. Cold tyres? A lapse in concentration? The dynamics are still unclear, but the incident looked like a mistake you’d expect from a rookie rather than Verstappen.
VIDEO – VERSTAPPEN, HUGE MISTAKE AT THE END OF FP1!
The image of Max climbing out of the RB21 and even brushing gravel off the car with his own hands amused both the fans and the Red Bull crew — almost as if he was “apologising” to his machine.
Bortoleto’s reaction
Among the most surprised was his friend and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, who, after witnessing the scene, exclaimed:
“How… how did Max end up in the gravel?”, before letting out a half-laugh.
