Max Verstappen arrived in Monza for the Italian GP this Thursday (3) fully recovered from the illness that affected him throughout the Dutch GP weekend. The Red Bull driver revealed that he still felt the effects of the virus for a few days after the race and described the period in Zandvoort as “horrible.”
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“Yes, I was very sick,” said the four-time world champion. “You appreciate it when you are fully recovered, how good it feels to be like that, because the whole week in Zandvoort was horrible.”
Visibly weakened, Verstappen faced flu-like symptoms in Zandvoort. Additionally, he started only seventh and retired on the first lap after losing control in the final banked corner on a wet track. The car spun and hit the barriers, causing the red flag. Despite the strong impact, the four-time world champion stated that he had no physical problems from the accident:
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“I felt fine regarding the impact because it was the SAFER barrier [steel and foam energy reduction],” the Dutchman told the press. “So, it was the first time I went through that. Actually, it did its job very well.”
The one-week break between races allowed Verstappen to regain his physical form. “And even after Zandvoort, for a few days, I still wasn’t well. So, it was really good to have that week to recover and feel better again, because it had been a long time since I felt that way,” he concluded.
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