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Looking back at Verstappen's near-miss: 'I was driving alongside Max'
How different would Formula 1 look had Max Verstappen not survived a crucial incident, a moment where someone claimed: 'I was driving alongside Max'.
By Nadia van Leeuwen - 2026-07-14T19:20:13.000Z - 2 min read
Formula 1 history is littered with pivotal moments, from strategic masterstrokes to unforgettable overtakes. At least as intriguing are the 'near-misses', which like a whisper from the past reveal how close the sport sometimes came to taking a radically different path.
One such shadow scenario revolves around Max Verstappen, a driver who has left an indelible mark on the sport in recent years. A recently unearthed story outlines the possibility of an incident that could have completely rewritten his career—and with it, recent F1 history.
Central to this look back is the experience of someone who was close by, testifying with the words: 'I was driving alongside Max'. This short sentence immediately conjures images of a precarious situation on track, a moment when the margins between success and catastrophe were razor-thin.
The speculation surrounding this near-accident underlines the massive impact even a fraction of a second can have on the sport. It shows how a single misstep could fundamentally alter not just a driver, but the dynamic of an entire era.
It serves as a reminder of the inherent risks and the fragile nature of success in Formula 1. Fortunately, it remained a 'near-miss', allowing history to take a very different, well-known course.