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“I can smell burning….is it my car?!”: Max Verstappen thought his car was on fire after smelling smoke that was coming from a blaze 12 miles away

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"Here to drive and to race" - Max Verstappen admits he has no time for off-track engagements as he pursues championship leader Charles Leclerc in Australia

Max Verstappen thought that his car was on fire, after smelling smoke that was actually coming from a blaze 12 miles away from the circuit.

Tensions within the paddock are high in Jeddah, for reasons outside of racing. Midway into FP1, a thick black cloud of smoke could be seen from the Corniche Circuit. It confused a lot of people who were there at the track, who didn’t know exactly what was happening.

The smoke blew all the way over to the track, where Verstappen was on a flying lap. The Red Bull driver took to the team radio, to notify his race engineer that he could smell something burning.

A concerned Verstappen thought it was his car, but the team assured him that it wasn’t. Where the smell was coming from exactly, they didn’t know just then.

A little while later, news broke out that a massive explosion followed by a fire, took place at the Aramco facilities, just 12 miles away. Some reports also suggest that it was a drone strike carried about by the ‘Houthis’, which hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Also read: F1 drivers and teams anxiously await word on a potential drone strike near the Jeddah Corniche Circuit

Max Verstappen and other F1 drivers want clarity on the situation

The primary concerns for all teams after the news of the explosion was their staff and drivers’ safety. As a result, the start of Fp2 got delayed, with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali calling an emergency meeting.

In the meeting, all drivers and team principals were briefed on what was going on. In the end, they were told that it was safe to go ahead with the session, in spite of the off-track situation.

Soon after FP2 started, it was announced that there would be another meeting regarding the situation after the session. Whether the rest of the weekend will go ahead as planned, is not yet known.

Neither F1, nor the organizing committee of the Saudi Arabian GP have made any comment on the matter as of yet.

Also read: Max Verstappen claims Netflix spoilt the image of “great guy” like Lando Norris in DTS season 4

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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