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The Dutch Grand Prix signals F1’s return after its annual summer break. What can fans expect?�
Race week has finally arrived after what seems like an eternity. F1 is now raring to go after its compulsory summer shutdown. A back-to-school feeling is likely for the first few days.
With no work allowed during the summer break, the sagas of inter-team rivalries and political battles can resume. The players are already planning their moves on F1’s metaphorical chess board.
The stakes are now higher than ever. Climbing positions in the constructors’ standings can result in tens of millions of extra dollars in a team’s prize money.
With surprise winners in recent races, changes in form, and on-track incidents, the second half of the season looks set to be competitive, unpredictable, and dramatic. Here’s what to expect in Zandvoort.
Verstappen to attempt to bury demons
In a shock by modern F1 standards, Max Verstappen is without a victory in four consecutive races. The RB20 is no longer the all-dominant car that started in 2024; the field has rapidly closed up. Mercedes and McLaren are now regular challengers to Red Bull, with McLaren arguably now having the faster car.
Verstappen has extra motivation to turn the tide on a challenging run of results as he gears up for the second half of the season. The Dutch Grand Prix sees the truncation of two key factors for the reigning champion: his home race and his 200th Grand Prix start. Verstappen will push hard for victory in front of his legion of home fans and secure a much-needed boost for the team.
His infamous radio outbursts in Hungary were missing in Belgium, with a calmer Verstappen taking to the airwaves.Â? But make no mistake, a wounded Max Verstappen is just as dangerous to the opposition as an in-form one. P5 in Hungary and P4 at Spa are far from the dominant wins seen in the opening races.
To be outperformed by arch-rival Mercedes twice in a row and missing out on a podium will cut deep. Expect fireworks and trademark Verstappen aggression as he pushes to show the off-form results of the last two races. His lead in the standings is likely too high to be caught, but the constructors’ championship is very much up for grabs.
Tension at McLaren: Can Lando Norris rediscover his form?
The question of whether McLaren can overhaul Red Bull will only be answered if McLaren can control its developing driver situation. The pace Oscar Piastri has threatened to unleash all season has arrived with a bang, with a stunning win in Hungary.
A one-two finish, comfortably ahead of its rivals, should have been cause for celebration. But the team orders debacle overshadowed what was the perfect result. Norris’s heated exchange in the cooldown room and admission of realisation at his error on track to initially follow team orders was followed by an off-form performance in Spa.
Norris looked visibly deflated in the media pen in Belgium after the race. Admitting to his second start-line error in two races, he revealed he did not feel at one with his car for a while. A collision with Verstappen in Austria saw another victory slide away from him. His performance in Zandvoort will be keenly watched.
With Piastri now asserting his speed, McLaren faces a delicate balancing act in the second half of the season. Red Bull is in its sights, and its first constructors’ championship since 1998 is now a very plausible reality.
However, the team needs to improve its strategic calls. The decision to put Norris on hard tyres at Silverstone for his last stint cost him a win. The team orders issue in Hungary could have been avoided with better pit-stop planning. McLaren is no longer a team aiming for wins; it is now expected to. How it handles the pressure and driver tension will ultimately decide if its title drought will end.
Can Mercedes make it three in a row?
If Mercedes is in the mix for the win at the Dutch Grand Prix, it will be irreversible proof that the Silver Arrows are once again regular race winners. Lewis Hamilton’s experience helped the seven-time world champion to a popular win in front of his adoring fans at Silverstone. But the pace of the W15 in Spa proved the team is getting on top of the issues that have dogged it since ground-effect cars were introduced.
George Russell’s disqualification soured what should have been the perfect result for the team. But Russell and Mercedes will be targeting another victory. If accomplished, the team will deny Verstappen a home win he will no doubt crave.
From an operational perspective, Mercedes still resembled the all-conquering team that once dominated F1 in the previous two races. Strategy has been on point, with the correct decisions ensuring the maximum output from the car.
Hamilton’s confirmation that the title is out of reach means overhauling Ferrari for third place is likely its target now. Should Ferrari continue to falter, this is a likely scenario. The prospect of Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes all fighting for wins, as Hamilton put it, will be “mega.”
New Alpine Team Principal will want a quiet weekend
Further down the order, Oliver Oakes will have his first race as Alpine’s Team Principal. His first weekend in the piranha tank that is F1 will be a baptism of fire for the former Hitech GP founder.
A weekend without hiccups, collisions, or other drama will be critical to getting his premiership off to a stress-free start. Oakes has joined F1’s most beleaguered team, and rumours of Renault selling up are never far away in light of the potential winding up of its engine operation. Instilling a culture of stability to replace the previous revolving door of management will do wonders for morale.
Outgoing driver Esteban Ocon scored two well-deserved points at Spa. However, the team remains in no-man’s land championship-wise. Stuck in P8, the team is 16 points behind Haas but a crucial seven points ahead of Williams. This could prove crucial with points being precious scraps at the lower end of the field to pick up this year.
Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool/Mark Thompson/Getty Images