Red Bull driver Max Verstappen crashed out of the final Dutch Grand Prix on the opening lap at Zandvoort after losing control at 180mph.
The 28-year-old four-time world champion decelerated rapidly on the final bend, hit the concrete wall in a major impact, and ricocheted back across the track in his uncontrollable Red Bull.
Starting seventh on the grid, the home favourite was running in seventh place when he appeared to slip on the white line on the inside edge of the track, which is banked at 18 degrees. He hit the outside wall before quickly reassuring his concerned team over the radio that he was unhurt, saying, "Ah, yes, ****, I'm sorry."
Verstappen was fortunate not to be struck by oncoming traffic as cars behind him rounded the corner. His stand-in team-mate Liam Lawson, who was running directly behind him, asked over the team radio, "Is he OK? That looked f***ing huge."
Pierre Gasly of Alpine narrowly escaped colliding with Verstappen, avoiding the spinning Red Bull more by luck than by changing his line on a circuit dampened by rain that had begun 45 minutes before lights out.
Lando Norris, who started from pole position, led the race as the red flag was waved and Verstappen's destroyed car was cleared away, causing a 30-minute delay to proceedings.
Future at Red Bull Racing
The high-speed crash came just days after Verstappen ended months of speculation about his future by committing to remain with Red Bull until 2030. The agreement, which could be the final contract of his Formula One career, followed fractious negotiations between his representatives and team management.
His representatives had sought an increased salary beyond his £60million-a-year deal, which Red Bull executives initially resisted before reaching a compromise to retain their star asset. The Dutch driver had held talks with McLaren chief executive Zak Brown a couple of months ago and was linked to Mercedes over the past two years, but decided to stay at the team where he built his championship career.
Official confirmation of the deal is expected ahead of his home race weekend in the Netherlands. Circuit Zandvoort, located in the dunes on the Dutch coast, hosts the Dutch Grand Prix as part of the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar.
