ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch Grand Prix has generally been a party for Max Verstappen and his legions of orange-clad fans. This year could be very different.
Verstappen has won all three races at the beach-side Zandvoort track since the Dutch Grand Prix returned to the Formula 1 schedule in 2021.
For once though, home star Verstappen is under pressure in the standings. He enters the first race after the summer break without a win from any of the previous four — his longest winless run since 2020.
“Last year coming here, I was a lot more confident that we had a big chance of winning the race, but that’s how the season is already,” Verstappen said Thursday. “It’s a lot more competitive and from our side I think we’re still trying to improve, trying to find a better car balance.”
It will be Verstappen’s 200th race and the 26-year-old Dutch driver, who has a contract with Red Bull through 2028, said he believes he’s closer to the end of his F1 career than the start.
McLaren and Mercedes are both closing in on Verstappen and his Red Bull team, which started the year in such dominant style. Beating Verstappen at his home race would be a real statement of intent.
Rain hits P1
After a wet and windy start, McLaren’s Lando Norris set the pace on a drying track in the first practice session by .201 seconds from Verstappen, who had a spin earlier in the session. Lewis Hamilton was third fastest for Mercedes.
The times aren’t necessarily a reliable guide to teams’ competitive pace given the conditions. The rain limited drivers’ time on track and there was plenty of traffic at the end once conditions dried up.
Saturday’s qualifying is also likely to be affected by rain, though the race Sunday should remain dry.
Perez under pressure
Verstappen’s 78-point lead over McLaren’s Norris in the drivers’ standings gives him some room for error, but teammate Sergio Perez’s poor performances mean Red Bull’s 42-point lead over McLaren in the constructors’ championship could be vulnerable.
In normal circumstances, a driver who signed a contract extension two months ago wouldn’t face questions about his future. Perez’s prolonged slump — no podium since April, no finish higher than seventh since May — hasn’t quietened the speculation.
Red Bull’s broader F1 operation also seems to have five drivers for four seats across its main team and its second team, RB.
Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko told Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung that New Zealander Liam Lawson, who drove five races for RB (then called AlphaTauri) last year, would “definitely be in one of our cars next year,” in comments published Thursday.
Yuki Tsunoda has a contract with RB for 2025, but his teammate Daniel Ricciardo’s status is less clear.
Another race seat for 2025 was confirmed Friday as Alpine promoted reserve driver Jack Doohan to partner Pierre Gasly next year.
Russell seeks to bounce back
George Russell thought he’d won the last race in Belgium, only to be disqualified when his car was found to be underweight. That passed the win to his teammate Hamilton.
Russell has had nearly a month to reflect on what happened and said he had “zero hard feelings” toward Mercedes and that “in my mind, that is still a win.”
Despite Mercedes’ strong recent form, Russell said he thought McLaren’s Norris was the only driver still with a shot of catching Verstappen in the standings, and that even that was unlikely.
“Personally I don’t see anybody catching up with with Max and Red Bull in normal circumstances,” Russell said Thursday. “They have an exceptional lead. It’s just we’ve been used to crazy dominance in the last few years.”
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