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'So Much Sand,' Max Verstappen Sheds Light on Incredible Save After Lando Norris Overtake at Dutch GP Turn 1

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Armaan Agarwal | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 1:39 PM ET

Max Verstappen had pressure on his shoulders as he headed to the Dutch GP. The Red Bull star managed to pull off a decent drive at his home race, with the start certainly catching the eye of everyone in the paddock. Verstappen opened up on his stellar overtake on Lando Norris after the race.

The reigning world champion started the race from P3 on the grid, right behind pole sitter Oscar Piastri and second-placed Lando Norris. When the five red lights went out, Max Verstappen seized the opportunity to make a move on Norris. After overtaking the McLaren, the Dutchman’s Red Bull almost went off-track in the sand. However, Verstappen managed to somehow pull off an incredible save and keep his four wheels on-track. Ultimately, he finished in second place after Norris retired from the race.

The 27-year-old admitted that the race was not easy. The Dutch driver highlighted that he really maximized everything at the start with his move on the McLaren. Max Verstappen confessed that he did have a moment right after the overtake. Nevertheless, he was happy to finish in second place.

Yeah, it wasn’t easy, I gave it everything at the start to move forward and had a little moment in Turn 2. But in general to be on the podium here is a great result.
Max Verstappen said post-race

The four-time world champion claimed that he was going to push further at the start with another move at Turn 3. Unfortunately, the sand at Turn 2 stopped him from another overtake, as he tried to keep his car in one piece.

I tried to send it into Turn 3, but there was to much sand in Turn 2!
Max Verstappen stated

Max Verstappen: Yeah, it wasn't easy, I gave it everything at the start to move forward and had a little moment in Turn 2. But in general to be on the podium here is a great result.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) August 31, 2025

Max Verstappen almost misjudged Dutch GP start

The Dutch GP was a challenging race for drivers this year. The changeable weather conditions meant that the cars were going to lack grip. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton crashed out during the race when his car slid on the banking due to the slippery track conditions. Though, the rain had barely fallen at the start of the race, it was enough to put Verstappen in a difficult spot.

In the cooldown room after the race, Max Verstappen had a conversation with race winner Oscar Piastri. The reigning world champion confessed that he didn’t expect the situation to be so tricky when he went for the move. Contrary to the Dutchman’s expectations, the track conditions were highly slippery.

I knew when I went round the outside it would be slippery, but not that slippery,
Max Verstappen added

"I knew when I went round the outside it would be slippery, but not that slippery," Verstappen tells Piastri about his start as they sit down to watch. "Woah," they say as Max's start plays out.
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) August 31, 2025

Certainly, Max Verstappen would’ve been alarmed with how he almost ended his race on the first lap at Zandvoort. However, the way he managed to keep the car on-track was just another showcase of his brilliance in F1. Verstappen is known to master wet conditions and this incident could indeed be one of the highlights of the season. A P2 result will be motivating for Red Bull considering the team’s struggles in recent races. Moreover, the 27-year-old’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda also managed to score points, a great result considering the Japanese driver’s campaign so far.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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