The final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort was supposed to be a special homecoming for Max Verstappen. Fresh from signing a huge new Red Bull deal that keeps him there through 2030, he arrived at a circuit where he had finished in the top 2 at every previous edition.
Instead, his race lasted less than 1 lap. It was a rare error from a driver who does not make many, and it left the orange grandstands stunned at the final running of Formula 1 at Zandvoort.
How Verstappen’s Zandvoort Race Ended Almost Immediately
Rain had fallen shortly before the start, and the wind direction made the final corner the wettest part of the circuit. That is a particularly awkward place for water to collect. Zandvoort’s steep banking sends it down toward the bottom of the track, right where traction becomes critical.
Verstappen admitted afterwards that he applied the throttle too early. In conditions like those, that is all it takes. The car caught him out and the incident became one of those rare moments where even Max has to hold his hands up and say, “That was on me.”
The crash did not register above 15G, so he was not required to visit the medical centre. He described it as a decent hit, although he had certainly had worse. Still, the clean-up took roughly 30 minutes, with the rest of the field parked in pit lane while marshals dealt with the aftermath.
Gabriel Bortoleto also spun in the confusion, sending smoke across the circuit. Nico Hülkenberg was extremely fortunate not to T-bone him soon afterwards. It was not the grand finale the Dutch crowd had hoped for, particularly with Verstappen’s home race leaving the calendar.
Liam Lawson Seizes His Red Bull Opportunity
With Verstappen out, only 3 Red Bull-linked drivers remained in the race if Racing Bulls are included. The best of them was Liam Lawson, who finished 7th in a car he was still getting to know.
It was an excellent result, and there was no doubt the Red Bull team was pleased. The warmth toward Lawson had been evident in the garage from Thursday onwards. He has already shown what he can do at Racing Bulls, where his best results this season have been 6th in Monaco and Great Britain, plus 2 other 7th-place finishes.
There was also some understandable confusion over the points. Lawson keeps the 6 points he scored for his own drivers’ championship total, but those 6 points go to Red Bull, not Racing Bulls, in the constructors’ standings. He now sits on 49 points, 26 ahead of his usual teammate Arvid Lindblad on 23.
Will Lawson Stay at Red Bull for Monza?
The answer depends on Isack Hadjar’s wrist. Hadjar was present at Zandvoort, which was mildly surprising given his fractured wrist, but he was not doing the usual promotional work around the paddock.
Monza has relatively few corners and plenty of straights, so it may be possible to build a serious brace that lets him drive without putting too much load through the injured hand. But there is an obvious concern: if the fracture worsens into a full break, he could be out for the rest of the season.
At this stage, resting him appears the safer option. If that happens, Lawson could remain at Red Bull for Monza while Yuki Tsunoda stays at Racing Bulls. Tsunoda narrowly missed a point on his first race weekend of the 2026 season.
Small Paddock Moments That Tell Their Own Stories
Not every story from a Grand Prix is about lap times and strategy. Zandvoort always has a few wonderfully human details.
Yuki Tsunoda is a fan of stroopwafels, and there were plenty being cooked in the paddock and handed out free of charge. He was spotted grabbing them on the way in more than once. Liam Lawson received some Whittaker’s chocolate, the New Zealand brand he openly admits is his favourite.
Lawson also showed that he takes his appearance seriously. On the grid, after removing his balaclava, he spent a good 15 seconds getting his hair exactly right. Carlos Sainz, meanwhile, had his own hair moment after a playful incident at Williams hospitality. From an upper level, he spotted Alex Albon arriving below and poured water over his teammate’s head. Harmless fun, but it certainly got people talking.
Sainz may also have a busy few weeks ahead with the new Madrid circuit. An F3 test is scheduled there to see how the track works with cars running, and the Spaniard could well be involved given his connection with the event.
A Moving Pit Lane Visit at Zandvoort
One of the most uplifting sights of the weekend came on Thursday during the pit lane walk. A group of seriously ill and bedridden people arrived on hospital stretchers as guests of Stichting Ambulance Wens, an organisation that grants wishes for people in difficult circumstances.
The visit was a collaboration between the organisation and Formula 1. The group posed for photographs in front of the safety car garage, and it was a genuinely lovely moment amid the pressure and noise of a Grand Prix weekend.
Something similar may have happened in Austria before, but it is not an initiative often seen at F1 events. It was a reminder that access to the paddock can mean far more than simply seeing fast cars.
Lando Norris Wins Again and Keeps His Title Hopes Alive
Lando Norris took the win, making it 2 victories in a row. It was an impressive drive and a timely one, even if the championship maths remains difficult.
He is still a long way back in the points battle, and the odds are against him overturning that deficit. But he is not out of it. Stringing together consecutive wins is exactly what he needs if he is to turn a distant possibility into a proper title challenge.
His mother was at the track and was delighted with the result. There was a lovely moment from the top of the hospitality suite when she called out for a photograph. Norris then added an accidental little moment of podium theatre, losing his cap near the end of the celebration when it fell down into the area in front of the stage. By the time he left, it had disappeared.
Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton was enjoying himself in a way that is not always seen during a race weekend. From the top of Ferrari hospitality, he was throwing a football down to team members below, who sent it back up to him. Hamilton and Charles Leclerc arrived at the circuit in Ferrari Purosangues, while the driver car park was packed with Fords, including a Cougar that proved rather handy on the narrow local roads.
Why the Dutch Grand Prix Atmosphere Will Be Missed
There are certain things about the Dutch Grand Prix that will be genuinely missed. The 30 km/h limits on the local roads, perhaps not so much. The streets are narrow, bicycles dominate everything, and parking at the circuit can even be reserved for a bike. There were likely about 40,000 bicycles around the event on race day.
But the crowd? That is a different story altogether.
The Dutch fans brought a level of energy few other events can match. A DJ and a lion mascot worked the stage while dance music thundered through the stadium section. The grandstands clapped, danced, sang and got fully involved. That willingness to embrace the atmosphere made Zandvoort a standout stop on the calendar.
With the race now gone, Formula 1 loses not only a challenging old-school circuit but also one of its most enthusiastic crowds.
Tributes, Characters and a New Cadillac Chapter
Fernando Alonso’s arrival outfit made him look remarkably like Indiana Jones, complete with the right sort of adventure-film styling. It was a light-hearted visual on a weekend that also included a more sombre tribute.
Aston Martin team member Mick Fern, known affectionately as Biscuit, passed away on 29 July after 35 years in the paddock. Aston Martin’s team and drivers wore black armbands in his memory. His colleagues had arranged not 1 but 2 group photographs to lift his spirits in his final days, which says everything about how popular he was.
There was also a Max Verstappen tribute on the Red Bull pit boxes, created by Ollie, the artist behind the regular drawings in that area.
Cadillac Begins a New Era Amid Uncertainty
Cadillac’s new team principal, Marcin Budkowski, began work at Zandvoort. His name is often mispronounced, but it is pronounced Martin Bukowski. He arrived at a fascinating, and potentially difficult, time for the operation.
Rumours had circulated around the future of Cadillac because the chief executive of TWG Global, which operates Cadillac Racing, was under scrutiny from US authorities. He had recently sold his stake in the Los Angeles Lakers shortly after buying it. The speculation became loud enough that Cadillac publicly stated the Formula 1 team was not for sale.
The team has also opened an impressive new factory at Silverstone, but there have been significant personnel changes. Graeme Lowdon departed, and it was made clear that he had been dismissed rather than choosing to leave. Some or all of his close associates have also gone.
Marketing and communications staff currently based in the UK have reportedly been told they will need to relocate to the US, while engineering and logistics personnel remain in Britain. It is a lot for Budkowski to walk into during his first race weekend.
On track, it was a quiet Sunday. Sergio Pérez finished 15th, 2 laps down, while Valtteri Bottas did not finish.
A Final Photograph With an Unexpected Story
One final photograph created a bit of amusement. An image of Oliver Bearman appeared to capture an expression of absolute shock. In reality, he was yawning.
That is the joy of paddock photography. A split second can create an entirely different story, and sometimes the accidental version is the better picture.
