in Zandvoort, the Netherlands celebrate their world champion Max Verstappen
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Zandvoort aan Zee – a small Dutch seaside resort on the North Sea – swapped the usual summer visitors for this first weekend of September for a veritable orange tide. By bike or public transport, most from Amsterdam 22 km away, 300,000 supporters came to celebrate world champion Max Verstappen.
At 24, the Red Bull driver is an idol in his country. Crowned in extremis in 2021, “Max” has reached heights of popularity in the kingdom. Last year, under the eyes of King Willem-Alexander, he won when F1 returned to Zandvoort after 41 years of absence. Saturday September 3, despite free practice disrupted the day before by a gearbox problem, he snatched pole position from his rival Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) on his last attempt by just 0.021 seconds. ” Unbelievable ! Especially after yesterday, we worked really well overnight to turn things around.”he soberly commented.
This year again, the enthusiasm of his fans contrasts with the not very expansive personality of their champion. Max Verstappen is a man of few words. Far from the glamor of his predecessor Lewis Hamilton (seven times titled before him), the young man focuses solely on his sport and his riding. Stubborn and catchy, he also adds a lot of talent to a difficult temperament.
On Thursday, with calm before the storm, the leader of the drivers’ world championship standings – 98 points ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez – relaxedly assumed his status: “I can’t wait to be there, it’s going to be crazy. I don’t feel any extra pressure because I always try to give the maximum, whatever the circuit.he told the World. Once I’m behind the wheel and at full speed, even though there’s orange all around me, I’ll focus on my riding and nothing else. »
Atmosphere of a football stadium
In qualifying, Max Verstappen experienced a repeat of what awaits him in the race on Sunday (from 3 p.m.). The North Sea wind carried the sound of engines and the pungent smell of orange smoke.
Around the circuit, in the stands or at the top of the surrounding sand dunes, the atmosphere is that of a football stadium. Not always for the better, like when one of these smoke bombs was launched on the track, briefly disrupting the session. According to the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the unruly was expelled from the circuit. And he drew the firm remonstrances of his favorite in person: “It’s just very silly. Holding smoke bombs is good, but throwing it on the track is just stupid”lectured Verstappen.
Such incidents have plagued several Grands Prix this season, notably in Austria and Belgium last week. Each time, the culprits are part of the “orange army” which follows with passion – sometimes a little excessively – the Dutch champion all over the world. After his victory here in 2021, he explained his feelings about the behavior of his supporters: “We see it in football, that’s how the fans express their passion and their antagonisms. I respect it and I try to turn it into positive energy behind the wheel. »
An hour before the start of the tests, in Zandvoort, some supporters were already very tired, scalded by the sun and stunned by the beer flowing freely. There is only for Max Verstappen. Inside the fan zone, a dozen different merchandising items bearing his surname occupy the overwhelming majority of stands.
A big wheel on which sits a gigantic photo of Verstappen’s single-seater gives the place the air of a fair. Slogans to his glory are inscribed on T-shirts or polo shirts: “MAXimal”, “Max, we are back”, “Alle for 1 (All for 1)”… crowd a song of supporters with heady and slightly tense lyrics: “Max, Max, super Max, Max, Max, super super Max, Max, etc. »
“A festive weekend”
Physical docker, stocky sexagenarian, tattooed and shaved head, Wim seems more interested in the bar than in F1. “It is above all a festive weekend. We are here for Max, a national pride, and we have fun with friends”, he explains. His comrade Pieter agrees: “We support him as we would support our football club. And we stock up on beerhe jokes, touching his stomach. We are getting ahead because it will be more complicated to drink during the World Cup in Qatar [où la consommation d’alcool sera fortement encadrée]. »
When Verstappen clocked the fastest lap on the wire, cheers from the crowd greeted his fourth pole of the season. The very professional pilot let go a little. Big smile he was lifted from the ground by a friend, the Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoevenalready present during his coronation in Abu Dhabi last December. “It’s just great to see the atmosphere, everyone is having fun”said the hero of the day.
Far from this hustle and bustle, on the nearby long beach, two worlds cohabit without almost crossing each other: that of holidaymakers and spectators. Handsome white beard, Bertus does crossword puzzles in front of his vacation cabin. Next to the enclosure which contains a few hens on the sand, this 70-year-old Amsterdammer makes fun of the large barnum who stands a few hundred meters away. “Max Verstappen? He’s just a guy. Running doesn’t change much. They stay therehe delivers, pointing to the circuit, they don’t come here too much. Only a little at night. »
“It’s good for Zandvoort”
Populated by 17,000 permanent residents, Zandvoort welcomes several million visitors a year. The influx of F1 supporters does not necessarily bring an economic boom. As local hotel couple Narda Weebers and Hartger Prophitius explain: “The week before the Grand Prix, it’s harder to have the usual customers. They don’t come because of F1. The roads had been closed since Wednesdaythey detail. But we balance with the prices which increase during the race weekend, two to three times higher than in normal times. »
Not particularly fond of cars and circuits, even if he appreciates the champion, Hartger recognizes him: “The return of the Grand Prix is good for the name of Zandvoort. People will come out of season thanks to the popularity induced by F1. » The hoteliers’ young son, Pai, also succumbed to the Max Verstappen madness. “To do like the friends, we had to buy him the Red Bull polo shirt [l’écurie du pilote] »says the father of the family.
If he continues on this rhythm of victories – he is very well placed to win his second title in a row – Max Verstappen risks being much more than a fad in the Dutch playgrounds, an icon of world sport. .
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