From F1 Racing: The Prince of Zandvoort
In his home country Max Verstappen is idolised to a degree that’s hard to explain… but we’ll give it our best shot! F1 Racing spent a weekend with him at the former venue of the Dutch GP and watched him smash the lap record in a Red Bull RB8.
Words: James Roberts
As the sun rises, the lifeguards move into position. Flags are hoisted and ice-cream vendors stack their wafer cones for business. It’s going to be another scorcher. The busy double-decker trains pull into the final stop on the line and holidaymakers swarm ant-like out of Zandvoort aan Zee station. But today, they are not flocking to the sandy beaches. They are turning their backs to the waves and heading inland to the dunes to watch their hero perform. The former home of the Dutch Grand Prix will today resonate to the sound of Formula 1 machinery, 32 years after the last world championship race was held here.
In a garage at the top of the pitlane sits a Red Bull RB8. There’s no need for slick presentation; this is F1 in the raw. As the countdown to a show run ticks down, more fans clamber up the sandy dunes for a better view. Around the track, children press their faces up against the chain-link fences to catch a glimpse of the car and, most importantly, the driver.
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