Jos Verstappen walked away unharmed after crashing out of the Rally of Wallonia on Sunday, leaving his car wrecked after colliding with a tree. The incident forced him and co-driver Jesper Vermeulen to retire from the event.
The crash occurred on Sunday during the Rally of Wallonia, a Belgian rally event. According to multiple reports, Verstappen's Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 was left heavily damaged after hitting a tree, but neither he nor his co-driver Jesper Vermeulen were seriously injured. Verstappen told GPblog that he is 'all good' after the crash, according to the outlet. The retirement came after the car had already sustained damage from an earlier incident on the fourth stage of the rally. The extent of that earlier damage has not been confirmed, but it may have contributed to the crash.
I'm thinking about everything inside this paddock. Privately I'm very happy. You also wait for 24 races. This time it's 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you're not enjoying your sport?
Verstappen and Vermeulen were forced to retire following Sunday's crash. Before the crash, Verstappen had been in third place at the end of Saturday's play. His regular co-driver, Renaud Jamoul, was absent due to ankle surgery, which led to Vermeulen stepping in for the event. The change in co-driver may have affected the team's performance, but no official statement has been made. It remains unclear whether Verstappen will continue in the rally after the crash.
Separately, Max Verstappen, Jos's son and reigning Formula 1 world champion, has been critical of the FIA's new rules. According to Daily Express - Sport, Max Verstappen described feeling that the fun has been sucked out of racing, and he questioned whether the sport is worth the time away from his family. He finished eighth in the Japanese Grand Prix, a result that may have added to his frustrations. The current status of his contract discussions remains unknown.