Police release man who threw smoke bomb on Zandvoort track

Police have released a man whom they arrested yesterday after he threw a smoke bomb on the racetrack at Zandvoort on Saturday. He still remains a suspect, according to the NOS.

The 33-year-old man from Borne threw the orange smoke bomb onto the track during the Formula 1 qualifying, according to RTL Nieuws and the NOS. At the time, only one driver was on the track. He was not able to continue his round, but was not affected by the smoke.

A flare on the track prompts a red flag #DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/DuhP7LIRs3

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 3, 2022

The qualifying session was paused while the device emitted smoke. The Dutch Grand Prix handed the suspect over to the police, who arrested him, the NOS reports. Although he was released, the police say they will still deal with him later.

"What a great day! Let's make tomorrow unforgettable together without fireworks and flares. A friendly and urgent request to leave them at home," the Dutch Grand Prix tweeted on Saturday evening. Such devices create "very unsafe situations" for drivers and fans, the organization said.