Max Verstappen and Ferrari fans make peace: surprising chants erupt at Imola

Max Verstappen and Ferrari fans make peace: surprising chants erupt at Imola. Ferrari fans surprise everyone at Imola by chanting for Max Verstappen during the Dutch anthem.

King of Imola and the Tifosi cheer him
Max Verstappen won the Emilia-Romagna GP, taking victory for the fourth consecutive time on the Imola circuit – no one has ever done that before – and perhaps has finally won over the hearts of all Italian fans, who until now had always seen him solely as a rival. This time, however, the ‘underdog’ version of the world champion, who unexpectedly managed to beat both McLaren cars after a masterful start, seems to have sparked a special emotion in the Italian crowd.

Max Verstappen, after all, is racking up triumphs in Italy, having also won twice at Monza in addition to his four victories at Imola. So the crowd, largely composed of Ferrari supporters, decided to pay him a somewhat surprising tribute during the Dutch national anthem. As soon as the notes of Het Wilhelmus began to play, the crowd broke into the chant that usually accompanies the Red Bull champion at his ‘home’ races, Zandvoort and the Red Bull Ring: “Du-du-du Max Verstappen.”

Peace made with the Tifosi
The cameras caught an amused and perhaps slightly surprised smile from the Dutchman, who in the past had to endure a fair share – shameful, it’s worth repeating – of boos, jeers, and insults during podium ceremonies. This time, thankfully, the atmosphere was entirely different. Credit to the Italian crowd and, who knows, maybe a message for the future: if Max Verstappen were ever to leave Red Bull, the Ferrari fans seemed to suggest today that they wouldn’t mind seeing Max with a prancing horse on his suit. Hard to blame them.