After losing his unbeaten home record and now enduring the longest winless streak since 2020, is this the beginning of the end for Max Verstappen’s era of total Formula One dominance?

Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Dutch seaside resort of Zandvoort should have been a celebration for Verstappen, his 200th race in front of hundreds of thousands of his adoring orange-clad fans.

But Verstappen cut a strangely disconsolate figure throughout his visit home, at times as gloomy as the Dutch weather that blighted practice and qualifying.

While the other drivers returned from a summer break full of tales of fun with buddies or going to Taylor Swift concerts, Verstappen seemed significantly less joyous.

Asked on Thursday whether he had another 200 Grand Prix in him, the 26-year-old was monosyllabic. “No.”

He said he would wait until 2026 regulation changes to see if racing was still “fun” but wasn’t really thinking too much further ahead. “I’m pretty easy-going,” he said. The weekend followed a pattern of near Verstappen misses and downbeat comments.

He spun his Red Bull on his first outing on a wet track - in hindsight a harbinger of the misery to come - then was pipped to the fastest practice lap.

“We didn’t quite have the pace on the long and short runs and at the moment there isn’t a clear answer on how to improve this,” snapped a frustrated Verstappen.

Frustration also during qualifying where he was beaten for the first time ever to pole position at Zandvoort, lighting up the team radio with expletives as he bounced out of a corner.

“I never really felt comfortable’” said the Dutchman. “Everything just seemed very snappy, very on the edge I would say,” he added.

Referring to his nearest rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris, he offered a revealing insight about his state of mind. “It seems like Lando’s a bit happier in general, which is the driving and how he feels. I’m a bit more over the place with the balance.”


‘A lot of points’

Come race day, Verstappen powered off to a fast start, briefly taking the lead to give his fans some hope but the gulf in pace between his Red Bull and the McLaren quickly became clear.

Overtaken with some ease on lap 18, the gap grew ever wider, with Verstappen eventually more than 20 seconds off the pace set by winner Norris.

“Throughout the race it was quite clear that we are not quick enough, so I tried to be second today,” said Verstappen, an unfamiliar position.