FORMULA 1 RETURNS AT ZANDVOORT FOR THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX
Formula 1 is back after the summer break, with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort marking the start of the second part of the season. After three weeks away from the track, teams and drivers return to action this weekend for the latest round of the championship.
The weekend will be different from last year’s Dutch Grand Prix because Zandvoort will host a Sprint weekend. Friday will feature the only free practice session, followed by Sprint Qualifying, which will set the grid for Saturday’s Sprint Race.
The Sprint will cover 100 kilometres and will take place on Saturday afternoon. The traditional qualifying session will follow later in the day and will decide the starting grid for Sunday’s main race.
The Dutch Grand Prix will therefore be an important weekend for the championship, with extra points available in the Sprint and the main race carrying the biggest points haul.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli will return to action with a 50-point lead over Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver has been one of the main stars of the first part of the season and will now try to maintain his advantage.
Hamilton is second in the championship with Ferrari, while George Russell is third, nine points behind his teammate and 22 points ahead of Charles Leclerc.
Mercedes also leads the Constructors’ Championship. The Brackley team has scored 379 points, 72 more than Ferrari. McLaren is third with 220 points, 87 behind Ferrari, while Red Bull Racing is fourth on 177.
Racing Bulls will return to Zandvoort as the leading team in the midfield after moving ahead of Alpine at the previous race in July.
The Dutch Grand Prix could also be an important weekend for the development of several cars. A number of teams are expected to introduce new aerodynamic and technical parts as they look to improve their performance during the second half of the season.
Aston Martin will also receive an important update. Honda is expected to bring its latest engine after benefiting from the ADUO development allowances. The new power unit should help Aston Martin continue its recovery after the introduction of the AMR26 B-specification car in Hungary.
Zandvoort is one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar. The track is 4.259 kilometres long and the race will cover 72 laps, for a total distance of 306.587 kilometres.
What does Pirelli bring this weekend
Pirelli has selected the C2 hard, C3 medium and C4 soft tyres for the weekend. It is the same tyre selection used at last year’s Dutch Grand Prix.
The C2 hard tyre is the most durable option and should provide lower degradation. The C3 medium offers a balance between performance and durability, while the C4 soft provides the most grip and is expected to be the fastest option over a single lap.
Tyre management could be particularly important at Zandvoort. The circuit has several banked corners that create high vertical and lateral forces, putting a lot of stress on the tyres.
The track also has relatively low natural grip, which can make traction more difficult. Sand from the nearby dunes can also be blown onto the circuit, making the surface even more slippery.
These conditions could make tyre management and strategy key factors throughout the weekend, especially with the Sprint format leaving teams with less practice time to prepare their cars.
The track map of Zandvoort
The track map presents two straight mode zones, which are located in the same areas as the old DRS zones. The overtake mode is located in the banking of the last corner.
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