Verstappen criticises fans' orange flares: 'Stupid and dangerous'.

F1 News

3 September 2022 at 16:45
  • GPblog.com

During qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix, there was a brief red flag due to an orange flare on the track. The smoke bombs are strictly forbidden during the weekend, but still some fans manage to bring the torches onto the track. Max Verstappen expresses his criticism after the session.

In Q2, a red flag was raised after a fan threw an orange smoke bomb in the middle of the track while Alexander Albon was driving. The person responsible was immediately identified by the FIA and removed from the track. In Q3, another flare landed on the track resulting in a short yellow flag. Verstappen criticised fans who bring torches to the race anyway. The Dutchman thinks it is dangerous if the smoke bombs end up on the track.

Verstappen critical

"“It’s just very silly to do. To hold flares, it’s nice but of course there’s a limit to how much. But to throw it on the track is just stupid and also the person that did that got removed," Verstappen is quoted by The Race.

After the incidents during qualifying the organisation of the Dutch GP has again emphasised that it is forbidden to bring torches onto the track. Not only is it dangerous if there are objects on the track, but the torches also cause poor visibility. "Just don’t do that, it’s not good for anyone. You get thrown out so you can’t see the race and, for us, the session is stopped because it’s dangerous when there’s stuff on the track," Verstappen said.