Jos Verstappen, father of four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen, emerged without injury from a significant crash during the Rallye de Wallonie in Belgium on Sunday. The former F1 driver lost control of his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 on the Loyers special stage, sending the car off course and into a tree, ultimately forcing his retirement from the event.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning, just as Verstappen had been making a strong recovery. He had been positioned in third place heading into the day's stages, a commendable effort after a 40-second time penalty for speeding on a liaison section had relegated him to 17th overall on Saturday.
Verstappen was navigating the rally with a temporary co-driver, Jasper Vermeulen. His usual co-driver, Renaud Jamoul, was absent due to a recent ankle surgery. The extensive damage to Verstappen's Škoda was evident in images circulating from the scene, showing the car overturned and significantly battered.
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This incident is not the first time Verstappen Sr. has been involved in a rally mishap. Past events have seen similar uncontrolled moments, including rollovers in Sweden during rallies held in May 2025 and a crash during practice for his Spanish rally debut in November 2023. His participation in the Ypres Rally in June 2024 also concluded prematurely due to a crash.
Verstappen's driving career has seen him pursue rallying since his departure from Formula 1. He was the reigning national rally champion prior to this latest event. The Rallye de Wallonie is a round of the Belgian Rally Championship.
