In his home country of the Netherlands, Max Verstappen struggled during both today’s Sprint race and qualifying for tomorrow’s Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix — the 12th round of the season. The four-time world champion started and finished sixth in the Sprint driving the Red Bull–Ford, and secured seventh place in Saturday’s qualifying session, meaning he’ll line up seventh on the grid for Sunday’s race.
A Challenging Home Race
Zandvoort has hosted Formula 1 since its return to the calendar in 2021, and Verstappen has won all three previous races there. But this year’s event carries added weight: it will be the last F1 race held at Zandvoort, as the circuit is set to drop off the championship calendar after this weekend.
After qualifying, Verstappen admitted he wasn’t feeling his best: “I feel a bit like I have the flu, and I simply don’t have as much energy as usual.” When asked whether that was affecting his performance, he clarified: “No, I don’t think so. I think once you’re in the car, it’s actually fine.”
Still, he emphasized the need for rest — saying he plans to sleep and recharge ahead of Sunday’s race.
Car Balance Remains the Core Issue
Even beyond Verstappen’s physical condition, Red Bull–Ford failed to find an optimal setup on the undulating, seaside Zandvoort track. Speaking to Motorsport.com, Verstappen explained: “We changed quite a bit on the car after the Sprint, but none of those changes made any difference.”
He pinpointed balance as the biggest challenge: “The car’s balance is the biggest problem. It’s just not consistent through the entire corner — and it’s been like that all season. It’s simply worse on certain tracks than others.”
He added: “This track also has some high-speed corners where we’re struggling. In general, without good balance, you can’t really attack the corners. And without grip, you can’t exit them cleanly — so all of that costs time.”
Despite the difficulties, Verstappen’s bold overtake on Lewis Hamilton at the Hungaroring in July was voted the ‘Overtake of the Month’ by Formula 1 fans — a reminder of his racecraft even amid technical challenges.
Sunday’s race will test whether rest, focus, and strategy can overcome both physical fatigue and mechanical limitations — and whether Verstappen can add a fourth Dutch Grand Prix win to his record before Zandvoort’s F1 farewell.