Formula 1 was in competitive shape when it went into its summer break, with four different drivers tasting victory in the last five rounds.
Max Verstappen’s healthy lead in the drivers’ championship looks unlikely to be overturned, but that doesn’t mean he can expect to have things his way at his home round.Here are the talking points for this weekend’s race.
Four in a row for Verstappen?
Verstappen has stamped his authority all over his home race since the Dutch Grand Prix returned to the calendar three years ago. No one else has started from pole position or won at Zandvoort during that time.
But he is up against it as he returns to the Dutch seaside track this year. He went into the summer break having failed to win any of the previous five races.
Of course for Verstappen there would be nowhere better to end his win-less run than on home asphalt. By Sunday evening, he will either have ended his longest losing streak for four years, or the Dutch Grand Prix will a new winner.
Are Mercedes taking over?
Indeed, their latest victory came without the new upgrade the team brought to Belgium. Mercedes opted not to run the new parts due to an inconclusive day of running on Friday and the added complication of rain on Saturday.
However Mercedes intend to try the new parts again this weekend, and it may prove another step forward for a car which has made regular improvements in recent races and has the potential to become the class of the field.
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Alpine’s latest leader
Alpine scored their most recent podium finish at this race 12 months ago, courtesy of Pierre Gasly. But they have had little to celebrate since then – that one third place bagged them more points than they’ve taken over the whole of 2024 so far.
It’s hard to imagine the team will repeat last year’s feat. Oakes is likely to face fewer questions over the team’s performance than its future, amid rumours the change in direction at Alpine has come about at the instigation of recently-appointed consultant Flavio Briatore, whose is rumoured to have been hired to sell the struggling team.
Room for Lawson?
The summer break saw more drivers fall into place for next season. But one who is yet to secure a drive is the one who impressed on his short-notice debut in this round last year.
Liam Lawson faced a steep test as he was dropped into the seat previously occupied by Daniel Ricciardo when the AlphaTauri (now RB) driver broke a wrist during practice. Although Lawson enjoyed a strong series of appearances for the team and picked up points in Singapore, he has spent 2024 on the sidelines.
Will he get the chance to drive full-time for one of Red Bull’s teams next year? As Sergio Perez’s place in the senior squad was re-confirmed as the summer break began, the only option remaining is if he once again replaces Ricciardo. Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko has indicated a decision will come soon.
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Zandvoort’s future
It’s hard to imagine the world champion’s home race could disappear from the calendar but Zandvoort is far from the only European venue to find itself under pressure at the moment. Will we hear good news about its future this weekend?
Are you going to the Dutch Grand Prix?
If you’re heading to Netherlands for this weekend’s race, we want to hear from you:
Who do you think will be the team to beat in the Dutch Grand Prix? Have your say below.
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2024 Dutch Grand Prix
- Previous technical hires no obstacle to Newey joining Aston Martin – Krack
- Mercedes still unsure whether Spa floor upgrade is working
- McLaren’s Dutch GP upgrade “nowhere near” as significant as Miami package
- “Very hard to pinpoint” why car has become harder to drive – Verstappen
- Only one F1 driver is making worse starts than Norris in 2024
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
20th August 2024, 9:23
I don’t know why people take this as its set in stone. Perez was given the mother of all confirmations in a contract extension and they were still doubts about his future, so much so that Red Bull themselves said they’d re-evaluate before confirming.
Perez’s current status at the team can easily change yet again before next year, and still this year if they fall behind McLaren and they have nothing to lose in a driver swap.
FrankT
20th August 2024, 12:34
I agree, but in july there is a Disney documentary coming out about him, and in octobre we still have the Mexico GP. So he probably will be replaced (I don’t expect him to better his performances at this point), but after these events. Too much money and interests still involved.
FrankT
20th August 2024, 12:36
Oh and I forgot about the two races in the US around the same time as the Mexican GP.
chimaera2003 (@chimaera2003)
20th August 2024, 19:45
@fer-no65 My cynical understanding of the new contract was that it contained new tighter performance clauses making it easier to replace him. And I can’t imagine that he has kept his side of the bargain here.
Even if my machiavellian mindset is partially accurate, nothing will happen in 2024 in any case.
Nick T.
20th August 2024, 23:52
I see nearly a zero percent chance of him driving for RBR in 2025. He’ll likely last the rest of 2024 though, unless he has some total mental block in which he either starts failing to get out of Q3 or Q2 every race or begins crashing nonstop.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
21st August 2024, 9:59
Guessing that they’ll replace PER but only after Mexico, so as not to upset the fans, giving someone else (probably RIC) a go and seeing how that works out in the few remaining races.
They might swap PER into the 2nd team and see how he goes against the other drive r, or put LAW in there for another stint (PER might do a “I plan to retire after one last home race”). Both options have their appeal.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
21st August 2024, 12:29
Mmm, crashing into and taking out verstappen is also a possibility, such serious stuff is unusually punished with demotion, it’s just that perez usually qualifies so far back that he’s too far from verstappen to do that.
Nick T.
22nd August 2024, 3:02
He could achieve it via a video game where he goes full speed in to T1 on the grass.
Stephen Taylor
20th August 2024, 11:09
Keith , it is interesting that you seem to be positioning Merc are the biggest threat to Red Bull . Yes Merc have I wouldn’t write off McLaren yet . I think had McLaren qualified better in Spa they would have won and I think there is much more to come.
Jere (@jerejj)
20th August 2024, 12:15
Four in a row for Verstappen? – I think his winless streak will continue.
Are Mercedes taking over? – Maybe, but probably still more track-specific.
Alpine’s latest leader – I doubt things will change a lot.
Room for Lawson? – He should get a drive for next season, but if he doesn’t by next month’s deadline, he’ll become a free agent, so Red Bull needs to be careful.
Zandvoort’s future – Most likely bi-annual rotation with Spa-Francorchamps from 2026 onwards, although from what I’ve read, even getting axed altogether isn’t impossible.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
21st August 2024, 12:34
Obviously I’m not expert about the marketing and non-driving aspects around red bull’s driver choices, but in terms of performance, I think they’d have little to lose by giving ricciardo a go at red bull, somewhere he performed well in the past, and placing lawson at toro rosso against tsunoda, to assess his level, and then depending on how good ricciardo and lawson are, maybe swap them around.
MacLeod (@macleod)
20th August 2024, 14:03
Zandvoort is probaly safe as they were asked to enlarge the pit area which they did 6 extra pitboxen en the pitlane is a bit wider after the improvements.
So we have to wait untill they bring the white smoke!
MichaelN
20th August 2024, 15:06
True, but it’s always a bit of a struggle for Zandvoort since they get no government funding, unlike most other races (although people only seem to think it’s bad when non-Europeans do it).
So as much as folks like going to Zandvoort for the whole Verstappen party, at the end of the day F1 cares much more about money than anything like that. Still, let’s not get too negative. They’ve managed to do it so far, which many thought impossible given the state of Zandvoort just 10 years ago.
MacLeod (@macleod)
21st August 2024, 8:15
Companies should pay for it as they use this things to promoted their products. For Zandvoort it’s Heineken and some other Dutch bussinessen.
F1 get a lot of money so they wouldn’t complain much.
That is probaly about corruption which don’t exsist in Europe … ( In theory) I find it strange that i have to pay to get things done it’s against my Dutch spirit I get feeling to open fire with my Double decker ships to suppress the Evil corrupt foreigners.
Nick T.
22nd August 2024, 8:05
It’s a total joke that F1 could lose one of its most popular races just because they don’t have as much blood money to throw around.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
20th August 2024, 18:09
Survey says : Yes, he won’t win. McLaren should probably take top 2 spots with Mercedes applying for a podium.
RBR should be slower out of the turns and weaker in to hair pins. So maybe some late race desperation from Max.
Range card states, if you want to beat Max, bate him and burn up his tires, and get him to brake too late, and take him from the inside of the turn. That many years running a biasing valve on the rear end has very detrimental effects on the skill and ability to adapt, making this particular aspect of his racing a great target of opportunity for competing drivers.
Nick T.
20th August 2024, 23:48
-Max will take pole and win. If he doesn’t, I’m guessing Lando is the next most likely to. Though I’d prefer Oscar and see him as just a hair less likely.
-Alpine talking point: who cares?
-How Checo does is something I’m equally interested to see and how long he’ll be kept on if he experiences another disaster. My guess is that he’ll be immediately out and if he isn’t it, it means buying him out this early is too expensive to be worth it.
-As for Lawson, two things:
A. I’m guessing Checo is already out for next year and Daniel is in. Therefore, Lawson will be in at RB next season.
B. Lawson didn’t crash, but he didn’t impress in Zandvoort. He showed he was a competent driver by not crashing in tricky conditions and not being miles off the pace. But not sure how we’re revising history to now say that he impressed. I don’t remember anything beyond anodyne comments about his drive at the time which were all some variation of “he did a good job keeping it on the track.”
Nick T.
20th August 2024, 23:55
Forgot to include:
-No, Mercedes won’t be taking over.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
21st August 2024, 1:54
lando will be on pole.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
21st August 2024, 12:40
Absolutely can’t fathom the stupidity of giving perez a 2 years extension after his slump had already started this year, it’s ridiculous to end up paying money to get rid of him, when they could’ve just waited a few races to see if he recovered.
It’s like betting a lot of money on someone who never won a fight.
Nick T.
22nd August 2024, 3:04
Maybe Horner is secretly a gambling addict with a Willy Loman type record of success.
MadMax (@madmax)
21st August 2024, 8:57
Should still be an easy win in the RBR car, unless Max
a) again goes for the wrong setup like in Spa or
b) makes mistakes in the wet and damages his car like in the Silverstone qualy or
c) forgets about tire management like in Silverstone stint 1 or
c) again just crashes into his opponents like in Austria and in Hungary.
By pure car performance the RBR is still too far ahead. Any race weekend without serious mistakes should be a pretty straight forward win in that car.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
21st August 2024, 12:43
That’s a bold statement to make, for example in hungary the possibility to beat the mclarens wasn’t there, even without crashing into hamilton, 3rd place was the max possible.
Austria was also very close in performance with mclaren, with red bull faster till the last stint and mclaren faster then.
Jem (@j1jem)
21st August 2024, 12:49
Yeah, I think this is the point a lot of pundits and punters seem to be quite happy overlooking!
MacLeod (@macleod)
21st August 2024, 14:15
Qualify is wet as drizzel is expected on Saterday and small chance of a shower on Sunday.