Autobayng News Team
After some welcome and well-earned rest, the Formula 1 teams have switched the lights back on in their factories and swapped their swimwear for teamwear as the summer break comes to an end.
As with the previous two seasons, the first destination after the end of the summer shutdown is – somewhat ironically – the beachside circuit of Zandvoort in the Netherlands.
The Dutch Grand Prix is one of the more colourful and vibrant events on the calendar. But the orange on display in the grandstands will not be in support of McLaren as they seek another one-two victory to continue their impressive run of form.
Here are the talking points for the Dutch Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s toughest home race yet?
It goes without saying that F1’s return to the Netherlands after almost four decades was a result of Max Verstappen breaking through as by far the most successful Dutch driver in the sport’s history. And he has regularly given the home fans the victory they crave.
Over the first three years of the event, Verstappen dominated at Zandvoort. Three pole positions, three race victories. The dream result for the Dutch fans.
But last year, Verstappen tasted defeat for the first time in his home grand prix. Despite getting ahead of pole winner Lando Norris at the start, Verstappen could not hold off the McLaren over the race and was forced to settle for second place.
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This season, Verstappen arrives at Zandvoort not in the lead of the championship for the first time since the first race at the revised circuit in 2021. But unlike that season, he is far from being a championship contender.
After finishing ninth in the most recent round in Hungary, this could be the first time that the Dutch fans will not get to salute their beloved hero on the podium in his home grand prix. Zandvoort has several of the long-duration, medium-speed bends which the RB21 so disliked at the Hungaroring, where Verstappen could only qualify eighth and finished one place lower.
Will McLaren make it five one-twos in a row?
McLaren went into the summer break with four consecutive one-two victories. It is the first time since McLaren’s greatest season in history, 1988, that the Woking team has achieved such a feat.
Now McLaren can equal the all-time record if Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finish first and second in Sunday’s grand prix. That seems to be well within their capabilities, given that no other car finished within 20 seconds of either of the McLarens last time out in Hungary. Should they achieve this, they will match the efforts of the 1952 and 2002 Ferrari teams, as well as the 2014, 2015/16 and 2019 Mercedes teams.
Norris has every reason to feel the most confident of the two McLaren team mates heading to Zandvoort. Not just having won last time out in Hungary by pulling off a one-stop strategy, but as the defending race winner from 2024. Last year, Piastri finished just behind Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in fourth place – but almost half a minute adrift of his team mate.
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Ferrari’s mixed fortunes
Although Ferrari sit second in the constructors’ championship, ahead of rivals Mercedes and Red Bull, their performance this season has satisfied neither Leclerc nor new team mate Lewis Hamilton. They are the only team among the top four not to have won a grand prix so far in 2025.
Hungary was an especially difficult and depressing weekend for Hamilton. He was eliminated from Q2, started 12th and finished there. Meanwhile Leclerc secured pole position, but lacked the race pace to be able to fight for the victory, losing the final place on the podium to George Russell.
But what has been striking about Ferrari in recent rounds is the team’s inconsistent performance between their two cars. Over the last three rounds in Silverstone, Spa and the Hungaroring, the team’s two cars have both finished an average of seven positions apart from each other.
If they are going to be able to meet team principal Frederic Vasseur’s target of holding onto second in the constructors’ championship this season, they need to find a way to have both cars maximising their car’s potential. The best time to do that is this weekend.
Aston Martin’s ascent
After a fairly torrid first half of the season, Aston Martin appeared to have finally found some momentum heading into the summer break. They enjoyed their best weekend of the year by far in Hungary, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll delivering their second double points finish of the year to take 16 points – twice their previous best tally of the season.
The result saw the Silverstone team leap up from eighth in the championship to sixth, with Alonso’s fifth place ahead of protege Gabriel Bortoleto meaning that his team is one point ahead of Sauber heading into the final ten rounds.
The big question for Aston Martin is whether or not they can continue this momentum through the summer break and into this weekend in Zandvoort. Given that Alonso admitted that they needed to analyse their races in Spa and Hungary to be able to understand why they were so much stronger around the slower, twistier circuit, it is by no means a given they will be fighting for points again in the Netherlands.
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Williams under pressure?
Aston Martin’s success came in complete contrast with the team they are now directly behind: Williams. While Aston Martin were stronger in Hungary than Spa, Williams secured a top-six finish in Belgium – courtesy of Alexander Albon – but their Hungaroring weekend was fruitless.
Carlos Sainz Jnr finished 14th in Hungary, just one place ahead of his team mate. Sainz accepted that “looked like the maximum” for his team, which would have caused concern at Grove heading into the summer break.
Fortunately, team principal James Vowles is confident that there are several rounds over the final leg of the season that should suit their FW47 far better than the Hungaroring did. But Zandvoort, another twisty and narrow venue, doesn’t look like being one of them. Will they see their lead over their rivals dwindle again this weekend?
Softer compounds
Last year’s Dutch Grand Prix was not an especially complex one when it came to race strategy, with the vast majority of the field making just a single stop on the way to the chequered flag.
In response, Pirelli has decided to bring compounds that are each a step softer than last year’s event. Rather than using their hardest compound, the C1, as the designated hard tyre for the weekend, drivers will instead have the C2 as the hard tyre. The C3 compound will act as the medium, rather than the soft, with the C4 now acting as the soft tyre for the weekend.
This is the first time the C2-C3-C4 combination has been used since the British Grand Prix, as well as the penultimate occasion it will be used in the 2025 season. The only other time this combination will be raced is at the Brazilian Grand Prix in November.
The FIA has also raised the pit lane speed limit for this year’s race, which should increase the incentive for teams to make more pit stops, as drivers will lose less time entering and exiting the pits. Zandvoort’s speed limit is being increased to 80kph, the same as for most permanent circuits. It was previously set at 60kph, as used for street circuits with narrower pit lanes. Lance Stroll was given a five-second time penalty for hitting 65kph in the pits during last year’s race.
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Two goodbyes
The Dutch Grand Prix only returned to the F1 calendar in 2021, though that was a year later than scheduled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But its days are already numbered.
Since last year’s race, F1 has announced the 2026 edition of the Dutch Grand Prix will be its final visit to Zandvoort. While the series has been quick to trumpet its successes and growth in recent years, the decision to axe its race in the backyard of one of its most popular drivers will not be welcomed by many fans.
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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