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Max Verstappen has admitted that this year’s Dutch Grand Prix will be his most challenging yet.
Since its re-introduction to the calendar in 2021, the Dutchman has won every edition of his home race. However, with the chasing pack closing in on Red Bull, victory is not as much of a formality this time around.
Return to action
This week’s race in Zandvoort marks the return of Formula 1 action after a three-week hiatus. Before the summer break, the sport was enduring arguably its most widely competitive period for over a decade. Despite sitting atop the World Drivers’ Championship Standings, Verstappen has failed to win a race since his round ten triumph in Barcelona. The three-time world champion still holds a 78-point lead over Lando Norris in second place, however the gap has gradually diminished since his early season dominance.
Ahead of the season’s resumption, Verstappen has acknowledged the challenge he will face in the final ten races of the year. When asked by F1 media if this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix will be his most challenging yet, the Dutchman said:
“Looking at how the season is at the moment, for sure.
He then went on to address how the team are looking to improve with multiple teams now fighting at the front:
“It looks like also there are many more teams involved that can actually win a race, so for sure I’m not coming into this weekend saying that we’re going to win the race. I just want to have a clean weekend, understand the car a bit more, learn from it.
“Of course, we analysed a lot over the break and tried to do things maybe a bit different or better, and we’ll find out over the weekend how that will go.”
??? pic.twitter.com/K5XUofSbJc
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) August 19, 2024
If the Dutchman wins on Sunday, he will tie with Jim Clark for most wins at Zandvoort.
Competition at the front
After convincing victories in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, many fans thought this season would be another formality for Verstappen. However, it has turned out to be one of the most exciting and fiercely competitive campaigns in the recent history of the sport.
The Dutchman had his first setback at Albert Park where, after starting on pole, he was forced to retire with a right rear brake issue. Since then, Verstappen has not yet returned to his previous dominance. This has seen the battle at the front of the grid intensify. In the 14 grand prix thus far in 2024, there have been seven different winners, more than double the total over the whole of last season. Whilst the 26-year-old still sits firmly atop the Drivers’ Championship Standings, this has made a huge difference to the World Constructors’ Championship Standings. When returning from the 2023 summer break, Red Bull had a lead of 256 points over second placed Mercedes after winning all of the first 12 races. However, a year later the lead over their nearest challenger is just 42.
Race winners in 2024:
?? Max Verstappen
?? Carlos Sainz
?? Lando Norris
?? Charles Leclerc
?? George Russell
?? Lewis Hamilton
?? Oscar Piastri7 different winners in 13 races.
— formularacers (@formularacers_) July 21, 2024
Whilst Verstappen is not winning at the rate he was in 2023, the team has also been hampered by the form of Sergio Perez. Going into last year’s break, the Mexican driver was sat second in the Drivers’ Championship Standings on a respectable 189 points. However, this time around he sits eighth on only 131, despite competing in an additional two races. Alongside this, Perez is also the only driver racing at one of the top four teams who has failed to win a grand prix this year. With Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes all constantly improving, that gap will only reduce, making for a pulsating second-half of the season.
Feature Image Credit: (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)