{"id":286477,"date":"2025-04-21T02:41:11","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T02:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/21\/verstappen-takes-pole-at-dutch-gp-fan-ejected-for-flare-use-zandvoort\/"},"modified":"2025-04-21T02:41:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T02:41:11","slug":"verstappen-takes-pole-at-dutch-gp-fan-ejected-for-flare-use-zandvoort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/21\/verstappen-takes-pole-at-dutch-gp-fan-ejected-for-flare-use-zandvoort\/","title":{"rendered":"Verstappen takes pole at Dutch GP, fan ejected for flare use Zandvoort,"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Max Verstappen produced a brilliant final lap to take pole position for Sunday\u2019s Dutch Grand Prix just ahead of Charles Leclerc. The Red Bull driver edged Leclerc\u2019s Ferrari by just .021 seconds on Saturday to huge roars from Verstappen\u2019s Orange Army of fans.<\/p>\n

But the session was interrupted earlier when a flare was thrown onto the track. Governing body FIA said the culprit was removed from the stands by security. \u201cIt\u2019s just very silly to do. I mean, to hold flares it\u2019s nice but there\u2019s a limit to how much. But to throw it on the track is just stupid,\u201d Verstappen said. \u201cJust don\u2019t do that, it\u2019s no good for anyone. You get thrown out so you can\u2019t see the race and for us the session is stopped because it\u2019s dangerous when there\u2019s stuff on the track.\u201d The widespread use of flares from Verstappen\u2019s fans has been a concern at some races, particularly at the Red Bull Ring in Austria in July and at last weekend\u2019s Belgian GP \u2014 both packed with Verstappen supporters. Leclerc and his Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. also condemned throwing flares on track.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s dangerous, so don\u2019t do these type of things. It\u2019s good that there was a reaction (from) the security guys,\u201d Leclerc said. \u201cObviously if a car is passing at that time it can create unnecessary risks so hopefully it won\u2019t happen again.\u201d Sainz, who qualified in third, said there should be better control over when flares are used. \u201cIt\u2019s also important to let the fans know when it\u2019s possible to use the flares and when it\u2019s not. It was good that on the in-lap when Max took pole they used them, but not use them in the middle of the race or Lap 1 when we\u2019re in the middle of fights,\u201d Sainz said. <\/p>\n

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His crowd, his day \ud83d\udcaa#DutchGP<\/a> @Max33Verstappen<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/OldcJ1qfab<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Formula 1 (@F1) September 3, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cAt 300 kph (186 miles per hour) with these cars you don\u2019t want any kind of distraction from smoke. Hopefully the organization can do a good job in warning when it\u2019s the time to use them, and when it\u2019s not.\u201d Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was fourth with Verstappen\u2019s teammate Sergio Perez qualifying in fifth. Leclerc had the leading time and went even faster on his final run to pressure Verstappen. But a brilliant middle sector helped the Dutchman clinch his fourth pole of the season. \u201cIt was a special qualifying, especially after yesterday which was tough.\u201d Verstappen said. \u201cWe had to change the car.\u201d Moments after Verstappen crossed the line, Perez spun off the track to bring a yellow flag for the closing seconds.<\/p>\n

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A jubilant Verstappen was lifted up in the air rather easily by Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven as the orange hordes cheered Verstappen\u2019s second straight pole here.<\/p>\n

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MAX: \u201cUnbelievable. Today we had a quick race car again. A qualifying lap around here is insane\u201d #DutchGP<\/a> #F1<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/led8hcshFi<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Formula 1 (@F1) September 3, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cYeah, I am enjoying it,\u201d Verstappen said. \u201cIt\u2019s just great to see the atmosphere, everyone\u2019s having fun, enjoying themselves.\u201d Verstappen was quickest in the first qualifying run, known as Q1, just ahead of Hamilton. Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) and Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) were among the five drivers eliminated. Vettel looked good for Q2 but went wide into gravel near the end of his final run. \u201cThere was dust on the track, which I collected with the left side,\u201d Vettel said. \u201cThere\u2019s not much I could have done differently.\u201d The red flag came out at the start of Q2 after the flare was thrown and the session was halted for several minutes. But Alex Albon, the only driver on track at that point, also complained about \u201ctons of pigeons\u201d around the circuit located next to the beach.<\/p>\n

Sainz topped Q2 from the competitive Mercedes of George Russell, but two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso fluffed his last run and went out.<\/p>\n

Russell starts from sixth on the grid ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren) and Mick Schumacher (Haas). Verstappen won here last year, in front of Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his legions of orange-clad fans at the seaside track outside Amsterdam. Leclerc led Saturday\u2019s third and final practice by just .066 seconds from Russell and .161 ahead of Verstappen.<\/p>\n

Leclerc is hopeful Ferrari can get \u201cup close\u201d to Verstappen in Sunday\u2019s race while Sainz thinks Mercedes \u201care going to be as quick\u201d as Ferrari. After struggling in Belgium on the long Spa track, Mercedes looked far more comfortable on the high-banking Zandvoort track, where a gearbox failure limited Verstappen to seven laps in Friday\u2019s first practice. He placed eighth in the second run.<\/p>\n