Kamal Ghorui
Jos Verstappen, father of four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, had a frightening moment during the Rallye de Wallonie in Belgium after his rally car crashed heavily and flipped onto its roof. The 54-year-old was forced to retire from the event when his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 rolled during Sunday’s stage and slammed into a tree.The crash left the car badly damaged, with one wheel missing and the body heavily broken. Photos from the scene showed the car upside down after the impact. Thankfully, Jos Verstappen and his co-driver Jasper Vermeulen both walked away safely without injuries. That was the biggest relief after what could have been a far more serious accident during one of Belgium’s major rally events.
Jos Verstappen was fighting back strongly before the Rallye de Wallonie crash ended his weekend
Before the crash, Jos Verstappen was actually having a strong comeback weekend. According to reports from the Rallye de Wallonie, he had received a 40-second penalty for speeding during a liaison section earlier in the event. That dropped him down to 17th place and made his race much harder from the beginning.His car had also picked up damage during the fourth stage, but despite that, he pushed hard and climbed back through the field. By the end of Saturday, he had moved into third overall behind Adrian Fernémont and Maxime Potty, giving himself a real chance to fight for the title once again.Speaking before Sunday’s stages, Verstappen remained hopeful. He said, “It is incredibly exciting, but we are not giving up. There is another day tomorrow and anything can still happen.”Unfortunately, Sunday brought the exact kind of surprise he did not want. During the Loyers special stage, his Skoda lost control, rolled over, and ended his weekend immediately.This rally was also different because Jos was without his regular co-driver Renaud Jamoul. Jamoul had to miss the event after breaking his ankle in two places and needing surgery. Jasper Vermeulen stepped in to replace him and was beside Jos during the crash. Like Verstappen, he escaped without harm.Jos Verstappen, who raced in Formula 1 himself from 1994 to 2003, has remained deeply involved in motorsport and played a major role in helping guide Max Verstappen’s career. While this weekend ended in disappointment, the most important result was that both men walked away safely.For rally fans and Formula 1 followers, it was a sharp reminder of how quickly things can change in motorsport, even when a strong finish looks close.
