Deploy Folding Table of contents
No driver has had as significant an impact on the Formula 1 experience in the Netherlands before Max Verstappen as his father, Jos Verstappen. Few racing drivers have faced such a tumultuous debut season as the Limburg native. From a spectacular somersault in his first race to witnessing the tragic accidents of peers Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, enduring a terrifying pit fire at Hockenheim, and experiencing several off-track excursions, not to mention achieving two podium finishes—1994 was a year filled with drama for Jos Verstappen.
Jos Verstappen Rises to the Challenge
Much quicker than anticipated, the Benetton team reached out to reserve driver Jos Verstappen in 1994. With Finnish driver J.J. Lehto still recovering from a fractured vertebra, Jos was given the opportunity to compete in Brazil on March 27. This event marked his entry as the eleventh Dutch driver to participate in a Formula 1 Grand Prix, albeit temporarily filling in for two races.
An Iconic Debut in São Paulo
Jos Verstappen’s debut in São Paulo was unforgettable, though not quite as he had envisioned it. Starting from ninth, the rookie managed to climb up to fifth within the first twenty laps at Interlagos. However, a botched pit stop—“The clutch failed, and the engine stalled”—sent him spiraling back down the field. After finishing a lap behind leader Ayrton Senna, Verstappen embarked on a recovery drive that saw him side-by-side with Eddie Irvine’s Jordan by the 37th lap. As the Northern Irishman attempted to navigate past a slower Ligier, he made contact with Verstappen’s car, leading to a disastrous outcome. Both drivers were barreling down the track at nearly 300 km/h when Irvine’s slight nudge transformed Verstappen’s car into a projectile, launching it into a terrifying flip before crashing back to the ground with tremendous force.
Emotions in the Pits
The shocking images of the flying Dutchman captured the attention of 500 million viewers across 102 countries, including the small village of Montfort in Limburg. As the family watched anxiously from a packed local café, Jos’s aunt Annie Ketelaars covered her eyes, while the atmosphere remained thick with tension until Grandpa Sef finally eased the silence, stating, “Don’t worry, he’s alright. I saw him sitting in the car. Thank goodness Grandma stayed home and didn’t witness it.”
Jos Verstappen’s Reaction to the Incident
In the aftermath, Jos was visibly furious with Irvine’s actions, stating, “I was driving behind him. If he wanted to overtake, he should have done it earlier. What he did at that speed is simply unacceptable. I had every right to pass at that point.” The race officials sided with Verstappen, placing the blame squarely on Irvine, who received a three-race suspension for his reckless maneuver. Meanwhile, Frans Verstappen, Jos’s father, took a notably laid-back stance on the incident, recounting, “I saw a car flying in the distance but not until it landed. The commentary made it clear it was Jos. After such a crash, though, Jos becomes unstoppable and performs at his peak. Just watch him in Japan.”
As a young independent media, Leading Sport aneeds your help. Please support us by following us and bookmarking us on Google News. Thank you for your support!
