The second part of 2022 qualifying at Zandvoort was halted after a flare was launched from the grandstand overlooking the exit of Turn 12 and the final part of the stadium-like section of the track, while a second flare light was dropped near the pit exit in Q3.
It is understood the second flare did not hit the track, but its orange smoke could be seen billowing through the barriers ahead of the final qualifying races – where Verstappen edged title rival Charles Leclerc to win pole.
Asked by Autosport about his reaction to the incidents and if he could say anything to deter fans tempted to repeat such dangerous actions during Sunday’s grand prix as reigning world champion and home hero, Verstappen replied: “It’s just very silly to do.
“Holding flares is fine but of course there’s a limit to how much. But throwing them on the track is just stupid. And I also think whoever did that was fired.
“Don’t do that. It’s not good for anyone – you get sent off 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.
“[You] shouldn’t do it.”
Speaking alongside Verstappen at the post-qualifying press conference, Leclerc also stressed to the fans ‘don’t do that kind of thing’ and hoped ‘that in the future we can do [something] to avoid this”.
Carlos Sainz, third behind Verstappen and Leclerc, has urged Dutch GP organizers to ‘let fans know when it’s possible to use flares and when it’s not’ – although there are already have a ban in place and the fans who lit and launched flares on Saturday. did so in violation of the order.
“I think it was good that in the round for Max [getting] pole they used them, but [do] not using them in the middle of the race or in the first lap when we are in the middle of fights,” Sainz continued.
“At 300 km/h with these cars, you don’t want to be distracted by the smoke.
“Hopefully the organization can do a good job of warning when it’s time to use them and when not. And, of course, even more importantly when not to throw it at Track.”
Fans supporting Verstappen were most notable for releasing scores of orange flares at his Red Bull team’s home race in Austria in recent years, as well as at Zandvoort when the track final joined the F1 calendar in 2021.
But there have been other instances where flares have been lit in support of other riders and teams, including at the Italian and Mexican races last year.
Fans at the Dutch GP
Photo by: Erik Junius
Perhaps the most famous example of flares being lit en masse occurred after Verstappen crossed the line to win the 2021 Dutch GP and smoke billowed across the track as his rivals in its wake were still in the race.
One of them was Williams driver Nicholas Latifi, who after qualifying for the 2022 Dutch race recalled he “didn’t see anything in the chicane at the end” last year.
“If there is still a race behind it, it can be quite dangerous,” he added. “Maybe it needs tighter security checks…well maybe not tighter security checks because you can’t properly screen 100,000 people, but tougher consequences if someone is seen doing this.”
Latifi also pointed out how the flares set off during last weekend’s Belgian GP left him “actually perplexed as to whether there was a car in front of you or if it was just a orange rocket” – a concern that was raised during the Zandvoort pilot briefing.
“Most of the time I find it’s a very distinct orange or you know ‘OK, that’s a flare that’s not gravel’ [from someone going off ahead]“, explained Latifi.
“But at Spa a few times ago it was like ‘oh, did someone go ahead and there’s just no yellow flag? “You don’t know exactly.
“So it’s not ideal and especially on a track like this where everything is very close. Spa, Red Bull Ring the stands [are] so much further from the track.
“I think the fans have to behave a bit.”
