“Max Verstappen could have lost out on pole position”: Dutch F1 fans throwing flares on track could have compromised Red Bull ace’s pole lap

Max Verstappen could have lost out on pole position at Zandvoort had the flare thrown on track not rolled out in Q3. 

The atmosphere at Zandvoort was just what people expected. Dutch fans turned up in thousands to support hometown hero Max Verstappen as he continues his charge toward securing his second consecutive World Title.

Verstappen was the firm favorite for pole position in Zandvoort but he got a run for his money during Q3. Just 0.092 seconds separated Verstappen and the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. In spite of the challenge, he stood tall and earned his 17th career pole ahead of Sunday’s Dutch GP.

However, the situation could have been very different had luck not been in Verstappen’s favor. The Dutch fans carried orange flares to the Grand Prix and some of them even threw them onto the track, which brought out the red flag once during Q1.

In Q3, another fan threw flares onto the track, but this time it rolled out before bringing out a red flag. Had the flare not rolled out, Verstappen might have missed out on pole position to the disappointment of the majority in attendance.

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Max Verstappen looking to continue charge towards winning second World Title

Verstappen won the 2021 World Championship after an intense battle with seven-time Winner Lewis Hamilton. His fight for the crown went down to the wire with the Championship getting decided on the final lap of the season fine.

After such an intense season, people thought Verstappen will be burnt out. The 24-year-old Red Bull driver, however, returned stronger than ever. His fight with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has not been nearly as challenging as his one with Hamilton.

This season, he has praised for his approach to races. The Dutchman stated previously that he’s a lot calmer now that he has won his first World Title. This is evident as we see a much more mature Verstappen behind the wheel of the RB18 today.

Verstappen is 96 points ahead of Leclerc in the standings ahead of the Dutch GP. While Leclerc will be looking forward to closing the gap to his rival, Verstappen will hope for his home race to treat him well for the second year in a row.

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