Verstappen felt the pressure in Zandvoort: 'Expected me to win'

The expectations were very high since it was the first Grand Prix in the Netherlands since 1985. These expectations were even higher because Verstappen had a chance at the world title. The sky-high pressure and expectations were certainly palpable: "Everyone expected me to win."

The duel with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes was intense and therefore the 24-year-old driver was nervous before the weekend started. The performances were not always top-notch and of course, he wanted to win at Zandvoort. He can look back with a happy feeling because according to him the weekend was perfect. "We couldn't have done better with pole position and the win," he said. The victory is entirely something to be pleased about, as Mercedes put a lot of pressure on the Red Bull Racing driver through the different strategies.

Pressure higher at Zandvoort than Abu Dhabi

The pressure was intense at Zandvoort and Abu Dhabi. He had to win in his home country, but in Abu Dhabi, his world title was on the line. So it was a huge relief at both races when he crossed the finish line. "Apart from the last Grand Prix, I think that was the race where I felt more pressure than others because everyone expected me to win there. When I crossed the line, I was relieved."