Watch: Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri left dumbfounded by an intriguing question from a journalist

F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands - Qualifying - Source: Getty
Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen at the F1 Dutch Grand Prix - Qualifying - Source: Getty

F1's 2025 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying was headlined by this year's usual suspects at the front - Oscar Piastri on pole, Lando Norris behind him, and Max Verstappen in P3. The McLaren duo was over two-and-a-half-tenths clear of the reigning F1 champion and home hero.

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The difference between Piastri and Norris was only 0.012 seconds. On his last flying lap in Q3, Verstappen put up a purple middle sector, bringing the Dutch fans at Zandvoort to their feet, but he couldn't go as quickly as the dominant McLarens.

While the trio encountered usual questions about their performance in the post-race press conference, a journalist threw in an unexpected question about the 1985 Dutch Grand Prix. That was the last iteration of the race at Zandvoort, before it left the F1 calendar for 35 years.

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"What do you remember of the 1985 race, just before Zandvoort was canceled for 35 years or a little more? Who won? Who was P2? Who started on P10? No Google, no phones, please," the journalist asked.
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Oscar Piastri picked up the mic to answer, but had nothing to say for a solid ten seconds. Max Verstappen broke the awkward silence with an off-the-mic, side remark to the Aussie driver.

"Just answer, 'I don't care,'" the Red Bull driver said, which made both McLaren drivers laugh.

Piastri then took a guess, saying:

"I'm gonna take a wild guess. Was it Niki Lauda that won the race?"
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As soon as he got his answer validated, Verstappen added a question to the reporter's list, asking Piastri to name the pole-sitter for the race. The McLaren youngster knew Lauda wasn't on pole, but didn't know who was. This led Verstappen to give him a hint, saying, "I know him," and followed it up with another hint a few seconds later, saying, "Father-in-law."

That made it easy for Piastri, who answered "Nelson Piquet" and moved on. Max Verstappen is in a relationship with Kelly Piquet, the daughter of the three-time F1 champion from Brazil.

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When Lando Norris was asked to weigh in on the discussion, the Briton took Verstappen's advice to Piastri from earlier.

"I don't care," he said.

His Red Bull rival said the same thing when asked to guess who finished behind Piquet on the podium at the 1985 Dutch GP.

"I couldn't care less. It's not my problem," Verstappen said, sending the room of journalists into fits of laughter.
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Max Verstappen got 'exactly what he wanted' from Red Bull at the Dutch GP qualifying

Max Verstappen at the F1 Dutch Grand Prix- Qualifying - Source: Getty
Max Verstappen at the F1 Dutch Grand Prix- Qualifying - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen, who won his home race at Zandvoort thrice consecutively from 2021 to 2023, highlighted how it all clicked for Red Bull in qualifying on Saturday. Though the Dutchman was in the Top 6 in all three practice sessions, he wasn't entirely satisfied with his performance in those sessions.

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But after a brilliant lap to secure P3 behind the McLarens, Verstappen was elated. In the post-qualifying interview, he said:

"This weekend so far was quite tricky for us, but in qualifying, was basically the best I've felt all weekend, so that's exactly what you want. To be honest, to be P3 here, very happy with that. The energy of the crowd, of course, the whole weekend already has been amazing, and to see so much orange on the grandstands is always very special."

Max Verstappen will have an uphill battle trying to overtake the McLaren duo for a record-equaling fourth win at the Dutch Grand Prix, which will match him with Jim Clark.

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Edited by Yash Kotak
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