Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen will be released from jail in his native Holland on Friday, the German news agency SID reports.
The 39-year-old, a former teammate to Michael Schumacher in the 90s, faced an attempted murder charge after his ex-girlfriend is alleged to have been struck recently by Verstappen’s car.

He has been in police custody for two weeks.

The Dutch news agency ANP said the attempted murder charge has now been withdrawn, and his lawyer is quoted as saying there is also no evidence of attempted aggravated assault.

“The court granted the request for Jos Verstappen’s release, partly because of the lack of evidence,” a statement provided by the lawyers read.

Jos Verstappen has been arrested in his native Netherlands.
The former Benetton, Stewart and Minardi driver turned himself into police after fleeing the scene following an incident involving his 24-year-old ex-girlfriend, according to Flemish newspaper De Standaard.

Dutch police confirmed the arrest of a 39-year-old man after an incident in the southeastern city Roermond.

Unconfirmed media reports say Verstappen deliberately struck his former girlfriend – who was taken by ambulance to hospital with heavy bruises and abrasions – with a car.

Verstappen was previously accused of beating his girlfriend.

“It’s definitely not the first time he does this,” the unnamed woman told RTL television. “I think now I need to go and hide — I don’t know what to expect now when he is released.”

In 2008, Verstappen was fined and sentenced to three months suspended jail time over an assault case involving his ex-wife.

And more than ten years ago, he was convicted of assault after fracturing a man’s skull at a kart track.

Verstappen contested over 100 grands prix between 1994 and 2003.

Jos Verstappen has tipped F1 to race on unhindered when a list of midfield drivers does not return in 2012.
Writing in his column for De Telegraaf newspaper, the Dutchman admitted that with so many drivers bustling for as little as two unconfirmed race seats, it is “an exciting time” on the newswire.

At the same time, drivers apparently at the start of their promising careers, like ousted Toro Rosso pair Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastien Buemi, have lost their seats.

“It’s hard for them, especially so late in the year. But that’s formula one,” Verstappen, who raced for a series of midfield teams in the mid 90s until 2003, said.

With so few seats still available, he said he hopes rookie countryman Giedo van der Garde finds a place.

“He has quite a few rivals.

“Through all the place changes, at the moment Vitaly Petrov, Rubens Barrichello, Adrian Sutil, Jaime Alguersuari, Sebastien Buemi and Tonio Liuzzi are on the outside,” said Verstappen, failing to mention the likes of Bruno Senna, Jerome d’Ambrosio and others.

“It is not a list of names that I would call a real loss for formula one, as for the sport it is good to see some fresh blood.

“Especially with former world champion Kimi Raikkonen, GP2 champion Romain Grosjean and the talented Nico Hulkenberg, the quality of the grid has only improved,” he added.

Sebastian Vettel at Silverstone asked reporters not to mention his 77 point championship lead.

Even with the effect of the FIA’s blown exhaust clampdown still not fully known, the Red Bull driver is the overwhelming favourite to win a second consecutive title this year.

But when asked about his runaway lead on Thursday, the 23-year-old German insisted: “I don’t know (what it is) so please don’t tell me.

“I don’t care. What do I gain? What do I learn from it? Obviously I know I’m in the lead, but it doesn’t really matter if it is one point or 100.”

But McLaren’s Jenson Button, who along with Mark Webber is Vettel’s nearest points challenger, denied it is a situation that will be making the reigning world champion nervous.

“I think if I were in that position I could sleep, wouldn’t you?” said the Briton. “He doesn’t really need to play any mind games, does he?

“If he wanted to, he could just pootle around, pick up the points and be fine. His lead is massive,” insisted Button.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso agrees that 2011 is close to being game over.

“If he hadn’t made mistakes in China and in Canada, he would have won eight races out of eight. His Red Bull is the most dominant car of all time, possibly more so than Schumacher’s Ferrari in 2004,” La Gazzetta dello Sport quotes the Spaniard as saying.

Said former F1 driver Jos Verstappen in his De Telegraaf column: “We can only hope now that the fight for second place is good.”

Another veteran, Mika Salo, told Turun Sanomat newspaper: “Vettel can’t be stopped now. No chance, not with a car and self-confidence as strong as that.”

Bernie Ecclestone has leapt to Lewis Hamilton’s defence amid criticism of the 2008 world champion’s recent driving tactics.
Commentators including Niki Lauda have harshly criticised the 26-year-old for his recent aggressive driving, including crashes and controversy at the most recent grands prix in Monaco and Canada.

But F1 chief executive Ecclestone insisted: “People have been wrong to rubbish Lewis.

“What we want is people racing, and all the people who watch it want that,” he told the Independent.

Hamilton’s boss Martin Whitmarsh also urged Hamilton, who collided with his teammate Jenson Button in Montreal, to keep racing rather than worrying too much about crashing.

“If he holds hold back for fear of having contact then he won’t be the great racer he is and do the job he has to do,” said the McLaren team principal.

Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen wrote in his De Telegraaf newspaper column that the criticisms of Hamilton in recent days have been “exaggerated”.

“He has had two unfortunate races, but each incident must be viewed separately,” said the Dutchman. “In Monaco with Felipe Massa, he did something stupid.

“But the collision with Button last Sunday was not Hamilton’s fault. I could understand his overtaking attempt there and Button could have given him more space.

“Despite all the commotion Hamilton is a great driver. He just needs to empty his head now and get luck back on his side,” said Verstappen.

Christian Klien thinks there is no chance Hamilton will change any time soon.

“He is just a very aggressive driver; a thoroughbred,” the Austrian told Red Bull television Servus TV. “We (F1) need that and it’s because of that many races are so exciting.”

Romain Grosjean insists he is ready to return to Europe to replace the injured Robert Kubica.
The Swiss-born Frenchman, who along with Bruno Senna is a third driver at Renault this year, is currently in Abu Dhabi for the start of the GP2 Asia series.

But at Jerez, Senna is driving the R31 this week, as experienced drivers including Nick Heidfeld, Pedro de la Rosa and Vitantonio Liuzzi are considered for the injured Kubica’s race seat in car number 9.

“I am ready to answer the call, but for now I’m here to race in GP2,” Grosjean, who tallied an unremarkable 7 debut grands prix with Renault in mid 2009, is quoted by L’Equipe.

“My goal and (management company) Gravity’s goal is for me to be in F1 in 2012, and we will work towards that step by step.

“If they do call me (for Kubica’s seat), I’ll go, but if they have something else in mind, I accept it as a member of the team.

“I will always support the team and, at the moment, all of my thoughts are with Robert,” added 24-year-old Grosjean.

Another candidate reportedly discounted for Kubica’s seat by team boss Boullier is Force India reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg.

“In my eyes, he is the best person available,” former driver Jos Verstappen wrote in his latest column for De Telegraaf newspaper.

“I see the German with great potential; very fast, a hard worker and a winner in many classes of racing.”

Speaking to reporters at Jerez on Thursday, however, Boullier said Hulkenberg is not a candidate because of his lack of experience.

Sebastian Vettel needs to accept the reality of a number 2 role for the good of Red Bull’s 2010 title chances.

That is the claim of former triple world champion and outspoken commentator Niki Lauda, following reports the young German is reluctant to give up the chase for his first title in deference to the team’s points leader Mark Webber.

The news also follows boss Christian Horner’s insistence that the team will “support both (drivers) equally” in Brazil and Abu Dhabi “in line with Red Bull’s credible sporting ethos”.

But with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso leading the championship and fully backed by his teammate Felipe Massa, Lauda said Red Bull’s policy is a road to failure.

“Red Bull needs to establish the team hierarchy now,” the great Austrian is quoted by Bild newspaper.

“If they don’t get behind Mark Webber, they may have to go without the title.”

Lauda’s only concern is that the exercising of team orders within Red Bull is done in a way that does not “cheat the spectators”.

Jos Verstappen, who in the mid-90s at Benetton was Michael Schumacher’s number 2, agrees that Vettel should be playing that role now.

“Purely mathematically, he has a chance to be champion. But as a team they really have to put everything behind Webber.

“He (Webber) has a better chance of winning the title,” the Dutchman wrote in his column for De Telegraaf newspaper.

“Of course it’s a difficult position for Red Bull, as the whole world knows who they would prefer to be in the best position.

“It’s unfortunate for Vettel, but with his engine failure in Korea his championship did literally go up in smoke,” added Verstappen.

But Horner sounds unlikely to have a change of heart, telling the BBC he finds it “frustrating” that 7 points of leader Alonso’s 11 point lead was due to inheriting the German grand prix win from his teammate Massa.

“It (losing the title to Alonso) would be frustrating because we’ve obviously worked under the auspices that team orders have been illegal,” he told BBC radio.

A Dutch GP2 driver is edging ever nearer a formula one race cockpit for the 2011 season.

Earlier this month, 25-year-old Giedo van der Garde’s manager revealed he is in talks with several teams and has received “concrete offers” from two.

Former Dutch F1 driver Jos Verstappen said at the time that he believes van der Garde’s talks were with Virgin and Lotus.

And now the Dutch magazine formule1.nl reports that he is in “extensive negotiations” with Virgin, who are believed to be seeking a pay-driver to be Timo Glock’s next teammate.

Interestingly, van der Garde’s manager Jan Paul ten Hoopen is also the commercial director of the Dutch fashion brand McGregor, who are set to stop sponsoring the Williams team.

And van der Garde’s father-in-law is Marcel Boekhoorn, a major shareholder of McGregor, who with ten Hoopen apparently visited Virgin’s team headquarters earlier this week.

“It’s a possibility,” answered van der Garde when asked if he is going to make his F1 debut with Virgin in 2011.

“I’ve only heard that we are talking; I have no idea if it will come to a deal.  That is my management’s job.

“Drivers are often the last to know.  I only know that they are working on it and I hear there have been some meetings.  I don’t know any more,” he insisted.

Giedo van der Garde is hoping to make his formula one race debut in 2011.

The 25-year-old Dutch GP2 driver, who has previously been under contract as a F1 test driver with the Super Aguri and Spyker teams, is in talks with several teams according to his manager.

“There are concrete offers from two teams,” manager Jan Paul ten Hoopen is quoted by Algemeen Dagblad newspaper.

“We have received one contract we could sign immediately.  But for that we need partners,” he added.

The struggling Spanish team HRT is reportedly not in the running for van der Garde’s services.

“It makes no sense to spend a lot of money on a seat if Giedo’s career will be finished for the following year.  It wouldn’t be the first time it has happened to a driver,” said ten Hoopen.

He is hoping a deal can be finalised by F1′s Abu Dhabi finale.

Former Dutch F1 driver Jos Verstappen wrote in his latest column for De Telegraaf: “I have heard he (van der Garde) has spoken with Virgin and Lotus.”

Jos Verstappen will be seen in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock this weekend.

The Dutchman contested more than 100 grands prix dating back to 1994, most recently with Minardi in 2003.

He announced in his latest column for De Telegraaf newspaper that he will attend the Belgian grand prix with his son Max, a keen karter.

“It was a long time ago that I was physically present at a grand prix,” announced Verstappen, 38.

“I asked Bernie Ecclestone very nicely for a pass and I’m happy that The Big Boss still knows who I am!” he added.

Jos Verstappen was not impressed with Michael Schumacher’s next-day apology for his defensive driving in Hungary.

After initially suggesting that Rubens Barrichello’s complaint was connected with his six years alongside him at Ferrari, the seven time world champion apologised on Monday with a statement on his website.

But Dutchman Verstappen, a former teammate of Schumacher’s at Benetton in the mid 90s, wrote in his latest column for De Telegraaf: “Be a man immediately after the race and apologise then — that would have come over a lot more sportsmanlike.”

It is rumoured that Schumacher’s apology was encouraged either by Mercedes, or by his friend, former Ferrari boss and current FIA president Jean Todt.

Meanwhile, Verstappen said he was also surprised by Ferrari’s handling of the Hockenheim team orders affair.

“Can someone explain to why they were so stupid, because I really don’t understand,” said the former Minardi driver.

“There are a thousand and one ways to change the positions of your two drivers without handing out team orders.

“They could have held up Massa in a pitstop, or had some problem with the fuel, or whatever you would like to imagine.

“If they had played it cleverly, none of this would have happened,” said Verstappen, referring to the Italian team’s $100,000 fine.

He also does not think Ferrari will escape next month’s meeting of the World Motor Sport Council disciplinary panel with a mere fine.

“Especially for the rich teams, fines do not inflict much pain.

“For me, Ferrari would have a conditional disqualification for one or two races, so it is known what happens when these tricks are played,” said Verstappen.

According to Jos Verstappen, Red Bull Racing escaped mildly with Mark Webber’s reaction to the front wing saga at Silverstone.

The former grand prix driver, who was once Michael Schumacher’s number two teammate at Benetton, said he would have been furious if the wing on his car had been given to his teammate shortly before qualifying.

“Mark felt poorly treated by the team leadership, and I can fully understand his anger,” Verstappen wrote in his column for the De Telegraaf newspaper.

“By doing this, the management was asking for trouble.

“I honestly don’t know how I would have reacted in Webber’s shoes. I probably would have trodden on the wing; if I’m not allowed to use it, then neither can he,” said the former Arrows and Minardi driver.

Actually, Australian Webber reacted by declaring on the radio – heard by millions of live television viewers – that his Silverstone win was “not bad for a number two driver”.

“It gave a clear indication that the limit had been passed,” Verstappen continued.

“And he obviously knew that a comment like that would have much more impact than if he had taken up the issue only internally.”

Ferrari is “wise” to have poached an experienced engineer from McLaren, according to former grand prix driver Jos Verstappen.

Briton Pat Fry, McLaren’s former joint chief engineer who was with the Woking team for 17 years and recently working on the 2011 car, will start his new role at Ferrari next week as assistant technical director.

“Getting Pat Fry is a wise move,” Verstappen wrote in a column for the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

“Like last season, you could say again that Ferrari’s performance has not been good enough.

“It is not the drivers’ fault — in particular, I estimate Alonso very highly.

“But in recent years Ferrari has lot some very important people and I think they are still affected by that,” he added.

(GMM)

Jos Verstappen thinks Sebastian Vettel should receive “the full blame” for the crash with Red Bull teammate Mark Webber in Turkey.

Dutchman Verstappen, 38, contested more than 100 grands prix until 2003, most famously as Michael Schumacher’s teammate at Benetton in the mid 90s.

He wrote in his latest column for De Telegraaf newspaper that Australian Webber was not at fault for the collision on lap 40 at Istanbul Park.

“Vettel had the momentum and the slipstream, but he then made a crucial error by moving quickly to the right and hitting his teammate,” Verstappen wrote in Italy, where he is accompanying his 12-year-old son Max at a kart event.

“Of course, Webber defended his lead, but that was his right.  Everyone races to win, and he gave more than enough space to Vettel, who should have driven straight ahead.”

Verstappen said it was wrong of Red Bull team bosses to criticise the behaviour of Webber, who had driven to the extremity of the circuit to defend the inside line for the forthcoming left-hand corner.

“Maybe it was a bit about politics, and I understand that some may prefer a young German talent to be champion, but Webber has done a good job.

“Now it’s up to the management to ensure that the incident is put in the past.  It is important that teammates can work with one another, but I assume that both Vettel and Webber are professional enough,” he added.

(GMM)

One of Michael Schumacher’s former teammates believes Mercedes is working to tailor its 2010 car exclusively to the tastes of the seven time world champion.

After Nico Rosberg had the upper hand for the first four races of the season, Schumacher bounced back onto the pace in Spain, where a raft of updates for the W01 were debuted.

This weekend in Turkey, even more developments will feature on the silver car, moving JJ Lehto to sympathise with 24-year-old Rosberg.

44-year-old Finn Lehto was Schumacher’s teammate at Benetton in 1994, before he was replaced after a handful of races by Jos Verstappen.

“Poor Nico,” he told Germany’s Auto Bild Motorsport. “Michael is back into the process of building the car and the team around him. Nico suffers.”

Mercedes and even Rosberg insist that the car developments are designed to suit both drivers, but Lehto does not agree.

He said Schumacher “loves a direct front and a loose rear end. At Benetton, Riccardo Patrese, Jos Verstappen and I all had problems”.

Lehto also doubts Rosberg’s claim that he and Schumacher have a similar driving style.

“The young drivers of today drive very differently. I would be surprised if Nico is satisfied with a car that Michael is also satisfied with,” he added.
(GMM)