Belgium: Jos Verstappen’s participation in the Rallye des Wallonie concluded prematurely on Sunday morning following a significant accident during the day’s opening stage.

The 54-year-old lost control of his vehicle, causing his Skoda to veer off the course and overturn. The Rallye des Wallonie confirmed the incident via its social media channels, where images depicted the car resting upside down with substantial structural damage.

Condition of the Crew

Despite the severity of the crash, Verstappen and his co-driver, Jasper Vermeulen, reportedly escaped the wreckage without injury.

Verstappen was competing with Vermeulen as a late replacement for his usual partner, Renaud Jamoul, who was sidelined earlier in the week after suffering a broken ankle.

Fluctuating Fortunes

The elder Verstappen, father of four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, had demonstrated strong pace early in the event. He concluded the first day of competition in third place.

However, his standing was compromised late Saturday after he was assessed a 40-second time penalty for exceeding the speed limit on a liaison section. The disciplinary action relegated him to 17th position prior to the Sunday morning mishap that ultimately ended his rally.

With inputs from RacingNews365