Jos Verstappen, the father of four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, has spoken out about the terrifying rally crash he experienced on Saturday at the Rallye de Wallonie in Belgium. The 52-year-old Dutchman and his co-driver, Jesper Vermeulen, walked away unscathed after their car flipped onto its roof during the opening special stage of the event.
The incident occurred on a right-hand corner that proved far more hazardous than anticipated. Verstappen explained that he was taking the bend in fourth gear when the car lost traction. "It was dusty, there was gravel on the surface. I think I went into the corner a bit too fast, and at the end of the corner, the car broke away," he said in an interview with the Belgian Rally Championship's Instagram channel.
The vehicle slid off the road and struck a tree, which caused the car to spin and ultimately land on its roof. The severity of the crash was evident from the extensive damage to their Skoda, forcing an immediate retirement from the rally. Verstappen noted that the car had already sustained damage from an earlier incident during the fourth stage.
Despite the violent impact, both occupants emerged without injury. "The most important thing is that Jasper and I came out of the car safely. It was a big impact. But we sit in such safe cars, that shows again. I'm glad we came out of it well," Verstappen added.
The Rallye de Wallonie is a prestigious event in the Belgian Rally Championship, known for its fast-paced and technically demanding tarmac roads. The course features tight, twisting sections as well as high-speed stretches, making it a challenging competition for drivers.
Verstappen, a former Formula 1 driver himself, has been a regular in rallying since retiring from single-seaters. For this year's event, he was competing without his usual co-driver, Renaud Jamoul, who was sidelined due to ankle surgery.
