Max Verstappen faced an abrupt end to his race at the Austrian Grand Prix after being involved in a collision with rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap. Instead of remaining with his team at the track, Verstappen chose to watch the 24 Hours of Spa endurance race, highlighting a shift in focus following the premature finish of his weekend. The incident took place at Turn 3 of the Red Bull Ring, where the four-time world champion‘s race was ended almost as soon as it began.
Verstappen’s Engagement with the Spa 24 Hours Event
Verstappen’s decision to watch the Spa 24 Hours rather than the remainder of the Austrian Grand Prix was notable, especially since his teammate Yuki Tsunoda also struggled, finishing last. Verstappen revealed to reporters,
“To be honest, I didn’t really follow the race too much, I was watching the Spa 24,”
reflecting his interest in endurance racing. His involvement with the event runs deeper, as his Verstappen.com Racing Aston Martin lineup—featuring drivers Chris Lulham, Harry King, and Thierry Vermeulen—secured victory in the Gold Class at Spa-Francorchamps.
Nerve-Wracking Victory for Verstappen’s Team at Spa
Verstappen described the Gold Class win at Spa as a tense experience, citing concerns over track limit warnings in the closing stages.
“For us to be P9 overall – and of course we won our class – in our first attempt doing it, I think that’s something that we can be very proud of,”
he told reporters. His presence in endurance racing, marked by skipping the recent ‘F1’ movie premiere to test GT3 cars at Spa, demonstrates his expanding interests beyond Formula 1.
Tough Weekend for Red Bull Racing at the Austrian GP
The Austrian Grand Prix weekend was disappointing for Red Bull Racing as a whole, with the team failing to earn any points—an outcome not seen since the Bahrain GP in 2022. After Verstappen’s immediate exit, Tsunoda’s race was plagued by bad pace and driving errors. The Japanese driver received a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points following a collision with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, which severely affected his result. Tsunoda acknowledged his mistake, stating,
“The collision with Franco is my bad, obviously… I must send apologies to the team.”
Challenges Faced by Tsunoda Highlight Verstappen’s Dominance
Tsunoda expressed frustration with his performance and the difficulty adapting to the car compared to Verstappen, noting,
“I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.”
He admitted that the car suits Verstappen’s driving style better and emphasized the challenge of adjusting his own techniques.
“It’s really hard to find in terms of driving style difference with Max. Maybe I’ll have to find from a different kind of view, but for now, it’s hard to find the reasons,”
Tsunoda added, revealing internal struggles as the team navigates an off weekend.
Implications of the Weekend and What Lies Ahead
The Austrian GP marked a rare setback for Red Bull Racing, underscoring the unpredictable nature of motorsport and the resilience required to bounce back. Verstappen’s early exit contrasted sharply with his team’s success at Spa, illustrating his dual focus on both F1 and endurance racing disciplines. Moving forward, the team will need to analyze their performance issues while Verstappen’s continued interest in GT racing could signal a broader racing portfolio beyond his dominant F1 career.