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Formula One is back after its mid-season break, restarting with the popular Dutch Grand Prix at the seaside Zandvoort circuit. Tune in from 10:50pm (AEST) for live blog coverage and lap-by-lap updates on The Roar.
The first half of the season was all about Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen, where the team and driver broke several records en route to an unbeaten run. Red Bull are yet to be defeated in 2023, while Verstappen has won 10 of 12 races – including eight consecutively.
As a result, the Dutchman is on track for an inevitable third world championship with a 125-point lead over teammate Sergio Perez; while Red Bull have an unassailable 256-point advantage over their rivals in the constructor’s standings.
Coming to the 4.2km historic and technical Zandvoort circuit, it is difficult to see anyone beyond the home favourite in Verstappen targeting a third straight Dutch Grand Prix win, as well as going to equal Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 record of nine wins on the bounce.
A wet-dry qualifying saw some mixed results, with the likes of Lewis Hamilton eliminated in Q2 and Alexander Albon taking the Williams to the lofty heights of the second row of the grid. Rookie teammate Logan Sargeant also featured with his maiden Q3 appearance.
Though it was Verstappen who put a mighty 0.537-seconds on McLaren’s Lando Norris for pole. George Russell starred for the second row, where his Mercedes teammate couldn’t while both Ferraris and Perez were further back in the top ten. Charles Leclerc having an incident filled Saturday, as well as a crash in Q3.
Grid position is crucial, with overtaking limited at Zandvoort except for the extended DRS run coming out of the final corner onto the main straight and into the swooping right-hander Tarzan corner that is Turn 1.
Strategy will depend on weather, with some rain expected. If conditions remain dry, the 72-laps could see multiple stops and the potential for teams to hang out for Safety Cars. In 2022 the race was neutralised twice.
A change on the grid too at AlphaTauri again, with Daniel Ricciardo out injured after breaking a metacarpal bone during Friday practice. The Aussie crashed at Turn 3, just after compatriot Oscar Piastri found the wall there too. AlphaTauri put forward their reserve driver in Kiwi Liam Lawson, who will start his maiden grand prix from last.
Verstappen winning his home grand prix might be inevitable, but a fascinating Dutch Grand Prix is in store with the mixed grid behind him.
Lights out: 11pm (AEST)
Venue: Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands
TV: Fox Sports
Online: Kayo Sports
Grid
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull), 2. Lando Norris (McLaren), 3. George Russell (Mercedes), 4. Alexander Albon (Williams), 5. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), 6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), 7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull), 8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), 10. Logan Sargeant (Williams), 11. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), 12. Pierre Gasly (Alpine), 13. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), 14. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), 15. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas), 16. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo), 17. Esteban Ocon (Alpine), 18. Kevin Magnussen (Haas), 19. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), 20. Liam Lawson (AlphaTauri)
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