Verstappen: The weather didn’t make it easy for us

Max Verstappen won the Dutch Grand Prix again, for the third time, and this is his ninth win in a row – repeating Sebastian Vettel’s record from 2013. This achievement is all the more important as the race at Zandvoort took place under very difficult conditions conditions and constantly changing weather, but the two-time world champion and the Red Bull Racing team did everything right.

His team-mate Sergio Perez crossed the finish line in third, but a five-second time penalty moved him up to fourth position and was left without a podium.

Max Verstappen (1st): “An incredible race, plus the weather didn’t make things any easier and it wasn’t easy to make the right decisions. I am very proud of our team, but overall, even when the national anthem of the Netherlands was played before the start, I felt goosebumps through my skin.

And despite the bad weather, the fans were not afraid of the rain, stayed in the stands and created a great atmosphere. What’s going to happen next in Monza, I think next week, and now I’m going to enjoy this weekend to the fullest. Of course I am very happy that I won the home race despite all the pressure!”

Sergio Perez (4th): “I think we deserved more today. The pit lane was completely flooded when I entered the pits. Because of this I hit the wall and went over the speed limit at the entrance – it’s a shame it happened.

At that time, the track conditions changed a lot: rivers flowed in the first corner. Unfortunately I lost control of the car and drove straight into the wall. Fortunately, I was able to turn around and drive on.

Why did Max change tires before I did? At that time I knew nothing. We always discuss such issues when analyzing the race. Of course, the team had reasons for that. The team has a broader view of what happens during the race, so they make strategic decisions.”