Verstappen dominates Masters F3 at Zandvoort

Max Verstappen dominated the Zandvoort Masters to emulate the 1993 success of father Jos in the Formula 3 invitational event.

Pole winner Verstappen Jr led from start to finish in his Motopark Dallara-Volkswagen F308 to claim victory by just over six seconds from Van Amersfoort driver Jules Szymkowiak.

Verstappen rebuffed a strong challenge from fellow front-row starter Sam MacLeod into the first corner and emerged from the Tarzan Hairpin in front of Szymkowiak, who nudged MacLeod in the braking zone, sending the Briton into the gravel.

The race winner was 1.7sec  ahead at the end of the first lap and 2.6 after two laps. Verstappen stabilised his advantage over Szymkowiak's Dallara-VW gap at 4sec before extending it over the final stages.

"It is a great feeling, especially having good pace over the whole race," said Verstappen. "I was able to pull a gap in the first few laps so I could save my tires mid-race: in the last few laps I had better tires than Jules and was able to increase the gap."

F3 debutant Steijn Schothorst claimed third in his Performance Racing Dallara-VW after vaulting from seventh on the grid to third at the first corner. The Dutchman, who is racing in the Formula Renault NEC this season, briefly lost third to Nabil Jeffri on the opening lap before repassing the Motopark driver four corners later.

Jeffri ended up fourth ahead of teammate Indy Dontje, who passed Martin Cao for the position on the sixth lap.

The results remain provisional while an investigation is carried out into the first-corner incident between MacLeod and Szymkowiak.