Max Verstappen Shares Farewell Message After Final Dutch Grand Prix Ends Early
Max Verstappen has paid tribute to the Dutch Grand Prix and his home fans after a crash ended his race at Zandvoort, which is set to make its final Formula 1 appearance after the 2026 season.
Formula 1 returned to the Netherlands in 2021, following Verstappen’s rapid rise in the championship and ending the circuit’s 36-year absence from the calendar. Despite the event’s popularity, its privately funded organisers faced long-term financial challenges and decided not to pursue a contract extension beyond 2026.
After the race, the four-time world champion shared a farewell message on Instagram:
“Zandvoort. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve had here. What once seemed impossible became something really special. It means a lot that I got to be part of it. I’ll always remember this. Thank you,”
Verstappen entered his final Dutch Grand Prix after signing a contract extension that will keep him with Red Bull until the end of 2030. He scored three points by finishing sixth in the sprint, but failed to score in the main race after crashing on the opening lap.
Verstappen crashes on wet Zandvoort track
Some parts of the track remained wet after rainfall earlier in the day. Verstappen, who started seventh on the grid, ran onto a damp patch while navigating the banked final corner and was sent into the barriers.
The Red Bull driver accepted responsibility for the incident after the race.
“In the last corner, it was obviously still a bit wet. But in the end, I thought, ‘OK, now there’s a bit of a dry line.’ And then, of course, I accelerated, but still had no grip. And that was quite a heavy impact, but everything is OK,”
He told Sky Sports Germany:
“It’s obviously a pity, but generally speaking, I’m just a bit disappointed because we were simply too slow the entire weekend.”
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