Dutch Grand Prix

Verstappen sends EMOTIONAL message after Dutch Grand Prix

The Dutchman completed a fantastic home race victory

Luis Raya

Sunday 27 August 2023 19:12

Max Verstappen won again at Zandvoort on Sunday, becoming the undisputed king of the track after a chaotic race in front of his home fans, to whom he left a message after the race.

Formula 1 returned to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break, with ever-changing weather throughout the weekend turning it into one of the most thrilling races of the year.

Verstappen didn't crack under the pressure of racing at home or the challenges of the track throughout the Grand Prix, securing pole position on Saturday and solidifying his victory on Sunday.

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It wasn't an easy win, as the intermittent appearance of rain forced drivers to switch between dry and wet tires multiple times, but Verstappen didn't make any mistakes, completing a flawless race to claim victory in front of the orange tide.

“Incredible and also today they didn’t make it easy for us I think with the weather, to make all the time the right calls," he said after the race to Sky Sports F1.

"I already had goosebumps when they were playing the national anthem before the start. Even with all the bad weather, the rain, the fans were still going at it. An incredible atmosphere."

The Red Bull driver also expressed gratitude for the fans' support, as they endured the changing weather throughout the weekend to cheer on the drivers.

"Unbelievable of course, the atmosphere, the whole day, good weather, bad weather. It looked like you guys always had a party, so super lovely to see, and incredibly proud of course to win here, and very nice that you were all there again," he added to the Dutch television.

Verstappen equals Vettel's record

Verstappen matched Sebastian Vettel's record of nine consecutive wins from 2013 with his victory, and will hold the record by himself with victory at Monza next weekend.

2023 and 2013 resemble each other in that not only is the Red Bull a dominant car, but they also have an exceptional driver in perfect harmony with their machine, making very few mistakes and completing flawless weekends one after another.

The Dutch driver already has his sights set on the Italian Grand Prix.

“I’ll think about it [beating Seb’s record] next week, I’m first going to enjoy this weekend. It’s always tough, the pressure is on to perform and very happy of course to win here," he told Sky Sports F1.