VIDEO: Max Verstappen crashes during Rotterdam show run - MotorSportsTalk

Just two weeks after being confirmed as a Toro Rosso driver for the 2015 Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen has made a far from ideal start to life with the team.

During a show-run in Rotterdam in his native Netherlands, Verstappen appeared to have a bit of trouble when trying to impress the crowds that had come out to see him.

As you’ll see in the video above, he had to be wheeled away from the wall by marshals before crashing the car just a few seconds later, albeit without a great force.

At the age of just 16, Verstappen’s quick promotion to Formula 1 has raised some questions, with many believing him to be too young. The team is yet to confirm whether today’s incident was a result of a car problem or simply driver error, but it is unlikely to have done his cause a great deal of good.

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In a continuing effort to help fans keep track of the on track action, SuperMotocross is in the process of developing and implementing leader lights for the unified series.

Currently Supercross (SMX) utilizes stanchions in the infield that are triggered manually by a race official. At least two stanchions are used in each race as a way to draw the eye to the leader, which is especially useful in the tight confines of the stadium series when lapping often begins before the halfway mark in the 22-bike field. This system has been in place for the past two decades.

Later this year, a fully automated system will move to the bike itself to replace the old system. At that point, fans will be able to identify the leader regardless of where he is on track.

The leader lights were tested in the second Anaheim round this year. An example can be seen at the 1:45 mark in the video above on the No. 69 bike.

“What we don’t want to do is move too fast, where it’s confusing to people,” said Mike Muye, senior director of operations for Supercross and SMX in a press release. “We’ve really just focused on the leader at this point with the thought that maybe down the road we’ll introduce others.”

Scheduled to debut with the first SuperMotocross World Championship race at zMax Dragway, located just outside the Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 3D carbon fiber-printed LED light will be affixed to each motorcycle. Ten timing loops positioned around the track will trigger the lights of the leader, which will turn green.

SMX’s partner LiveTime Scoring helped develop and implement the system that has been tested in some form or fashion since 2019.

When the leader lights are successfully deployed, SuperMotocross will explore expanding the system to identify the second- and third-place riders. Depending on need and fan acceptance, more positions could be added.

SuperMotocross is exploring future enhancements, including allowing for live fan interaction with the lights and ways to use the lighting system during the race’s opening ceremony.

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