Verstappen's readiness for Zandvoort menaces his F1 rivals

Updated: 17:02, 09 Aug 2025

A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.

On Red Bull Racing's Instagram, Max Verstappen recently showcased his uncanny track recognition in a delightfully simple quiz.

Wearing headphones and listening to the roar of a Red Bull F1 engine on track, Verstappen guessed the circuit within just 19.32 seconds.

He nailed it immediately: Zandvoort.

That rapid identification sums up his knowledge of the Dutch track. He knows every curve, every kerb, and now, every engine note.

It’s a small moment, but one that speaks volumes about how in tune he is with his racing environment.

Read also

Verstappen is the undisputed Zandvoort king in F1's modern era

Since the Dutch Grand Prix returned to Zandvoort in 2021, Verstappen has dominated his home race.

He won three consecutive editions from 2021 to 2023, each time starting from pole, with his 2023 triumph coming in tricky wet conditions.

The streak ended in 2024, when Lando Norris took pole and victory, Verstappen, however, was able to clinch second place in the complicated RB20.

Watch Red Bull Racing's Instagram post below

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Pos.	Driver	Team	Points
1	Kimi Antonelli Kimi Antonelli	MercedesMER	292
2	George Russell George Russell	MercedesMER	211
3	Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton	FerrariFER	191
4	Lando Norris Lando Norris	McLarenMCL	186
5	Charles Leclerc Charles Leclerc	FerrariFER	167
6	Max Verstappen Max Verstappen	Red Bull RacingRBR	145
7	Oscar Piastri Oscar Piastri	McLarenMCL	120
8	Isack Hadjar Isack Hadjar	Red Bull RacingRBR	71
9	Liam Lawson Liam Lawson	Racing BullsRCB	59
10	Pierre Gasly Pierre Gasly	AlpineALP	41
11	Arvid Lindblad Arvid Lindblad	Racing BullsRCB	31
12	Franco Colapinto Franco Colapinto	AlpineALP	27
13	Oliver Bearman Oliver Bearman	HaasHAA	18
14	Gabriel Bortoleto Gabriel Bortoleto	AudiAUD	10
15	Nico Hulkenberg Nico Hulkenberg	AudiAUD	7
16	Carlos Sainz Carlos Sainz	WilliamsWIL	6
17	Alexander Albon Alexander Albon	WilliamsWIL	5
18	Esteban Ocon Esteban Ocon	HaasHAA	3
19	Fernando Alonso Fernando Alonso	Aston MartinAST	3
20	Yuki Tsunoda Yuki Tsunoda	Racing BullsRCB	1
21	Lance Stroll Lance Stroll	Aston MartinAST	0
22	Valtteri Bottas Valtteri Bottas	CadillacCAD	0
23	Sergio Perez Sergio Perez	CadillacCAD	0

Verstappen's readiness for Zandvoort menaces his F1 rivals

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