Why Max Verstappen was ‘grumpy’ during Dutch GP weekend after ‘highly unusual’ situation

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Max Verstappen’s record at his home race is extraordinary but he’s going to have his work cut out to taste victory once again on Sunday.

Fans at the Dutch Grand Prix have witnessed Max Verstappen standing on the top step of the podium for the past three seasons.

However, a mega lap from Lando Norris sees Verstappen start the race from second with Oscar Piastri looming behind him.

Red Bull have seen their advantage over the rest of the field evaporate during the first half of the season.

McLaren consistently have the fastest car on the track and Mercedes aren’t far behind Red Bull either.

A mistake from Lewis Hamilton in Q2 saw him eliminated before the top ten shootout and Damon Hill has lamented the penalty Hamilton subsequently picked up for impeding Sergio Perez.

That should give Verstappen one less driver to worry about but his weekend didn’t get off to the best start.

A report from the Dutch outlet De Telegraaf has shared more information about Verstappen’s preparations.

They spoke to Red Bull chief Helmut Marko who admitted that Verstappen had been woken up early on Friday to take parts in a random drugs test.

Marko has previously commented on Verstappen’s late-night sim racing although on this occasion the triple world champion simply had a lie-in disrupted.

However, it didn’t leave the 26-year-old in the best mood going into the weekend.

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Max Verstappen left ‘grumpy’ by drugs test before the Dutch Grand Prix weekend

The report from De Telegraaf suggests that Verstappen was woken up three hours earlier than usual.

Drivers can be randomly selected after qualifying or the race itself for a drugs test but WADA can also ask a driver for a sample at any time.

However, they go on to say that it’s ‘highly unusual’ for a driver to be asked to give a sample on a Friday morning before a race weekend.

Speaking about the situation, Marko said: “Max was a bit grumpy. It’s only a Friday, we shouldn’t make it bigger than it is. People from an agency like that often come early, because then it’s easy to deliver a first pee…”

Talking more generally about his qualifying performance, Marko added: “He still had two moments in his lap, otherwise the difference with Lando would have been smaller. McLaren is strong everywhere.

“They know how to improve the car without handicaps. That is not the case with us at the moment.

“But that takes time. Max has to work hard for it, our car is not as good as McLaren’s. But the changes we made to the car towards qualifying did help.”

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Christian Horner thinks Lando Norris has the advantage over Max Verstappen for Dutch GP win

Although Norris is on pole for Sunday’s race, that’s never benefitted him in the past.

Every time the Brit has started at the front of the grid in a Formula 1 race, he’s failed to lead at the end of the first lap.

Verstappen will be hoping that plays on his mind going into the race although it’s a very short run down to the first corner at Zandvoort.

Christian Horner thinks Norris has a ‘preferred position’ to beat Verstappen although he’ll likely be his usual aggressive self when trying to get past the McLaren driver.

He showed his eagerness earlier in the weekend when he overtook two cars on the exit of the pit lane after Logan Sargeant’s crash in FP3.

Verstappen will need to adopt a similar mindset to earn his fourth straight win at his home circuit on Sunday.