– The numerous fans dressed in orange in the stands surely had other things in mind than an accident involving their local hero Max Verstappen already in the first lap. Of all things, at the temporarily last Formula 1 race in Zandvoort, the day was already over early for the Red Bull driver.
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Rain before the race had made the start phase a difficult matter. Although it had stopped before the start, so clear slick conditions prevailed, some spots were still quite wet, so the drivers had to be careful at the beginning.
Verstappen risked too much in the final steep curve, according to his own statement went on the gas too early and lost control of his RB22. The car suddenly sharply turned left and crashed into the wall before Verstappen slid across the track and came to a stop on the other side – without being hit by a competitor.
Accidents at the home race are of course always particularly bitter, but Verstappen is not the only world champion to have made this mistake.
German fans will surely remember Hockenheim 2018 well, when Sebastian Vettel was about to lose the world championship. Leading, the then Ferrari driver slid straight ahead into the barrier at the Sachs curve and got stuck in the gravel trap.
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Photo series: Formula 1 world champions who crashed at their home race
Instead, Lewis Hamilton won, thereby also taking over the German’s championship lead and eventually becoming world champion – Vettel’s dream of the title in red would not be fulfilled in his career.
But Michael Schumacher was not always lucky at the home race either. One year after he was torpedoed by Giancarlo Fisichella in turn 1 at the Hockenheimring, Luciano Burti crashed into his rear in 2001 and flipped over. Before that, Schumacher had only gotten away slowly from the start due to a gearbox problem.
And four years earlier, it was precisely the car of his brother Ralf that was lifted off and landed on the Ferrari at the Nürburgring.
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Which other world champions were affected by accidents at their home race can be seen in the photo series.
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