It's been four races since Verstappen has tasted victory — quite a barren period by his lofty standards.
Red Bull will have their work cut out to help their team leader win. The 2024 championship significantly tightened up before these past three weekends off. McLaren and Mercedes were the winning cars ahead of the summer break, and they won convincingly, too. The tight Saturday qualifying battles from the past 12 months have transferred into Sunday's races this season, and it's all to play for.
Britain's three representatives on the F1 grid have each claimed 2024 victories. Whether Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and George Russell can keep at the sharp end following the summer slowdown may reveal how the remainder of the season will play out. Verstappen has a sizeable championship lead, but if he can't reach the podium (something he's only done once in the past four races) in the year's remaining races, we could see a title fight in 2024.
Away from this year's battle for supremacy, there might also be some indications about the slowly unfolding 2025 driver market. News that Carlos Sainz is heading back in the grid from Ferrari to Williams followed the Belgian GP's conclusion. There hasn't been time to question the Spaniard what this means, but any slim hopes he might've held for joining Mercedes or Red Bull extinguished. Expect to hear why Christian Horner is sticking with the underperforming Sergio Perez and speculation about Toto Wolff's Hamilton replacement this weekend.
Of course, there is also the development race to watch. Although the factories shut down for a mandatory two-week period, that only stops physical production. There is no way to prevent lightbulb moments coming for an aerodynamicist or engineer while they sip a cocktail on the beach. A summertime eureka moment could tip the scales for a team if they can implement a solution quickly.
We will see Pirelli's three hardest tyre compounds in Zandvoort, with C1, C2, and C3 options available. This decision by the Italian manufacturer will counter the steep banks at Turn 3 and Turn 14 that punish the tyres as the cars speed around Zandvoort. It should also open different strategies in what is usually a one-stop race.
The summertime weather in the Netherlands is as predictable as it is in the U.K., so unexpected rain can hit the coastal circuit. F1 saw this last year when a downpour drenched the track in the opening minutes, and a later shower had a second running of the intermediate and wet weather tyres. With rain forecast for Saturday, don't be surprised to see the grooved Pirelli tyres feature this weekend.
Verstappen is the only driver on the grid to have won an F1 race at Zandvoort. He's claimed each victory since the sport returned to the Netherlands in 2021, winning each from pole position. Whether that success is from home advantage, Red Bull's speed or Verstappen's incredible skill will become clear this year when he faces his greatest Dutch GP challenge so far.
McLaren, not Red Bull, heads to the race as the fastest team. Lando Norris is the closest driver to stopping Verstappen from becoming a four-time champion. Together with Oscar Piastri, the Woking-based team seem set to replace Red Bull at the top of the World Constructors' Championship standings sooner rather than later. Either of their drivers winning would be the perfect way to begin this final stretch of races.
Yet it's Mercedes that has F1's most recent victory after Hamilton's Belgian GP win. George Russell's bold one-stop strategy saw him cross the line first before his disqualification, but a Silver Arrows car was going to win either way. It's been a remarkable change of fortunes for the once-dominant team, and they'll claim their fourth win in five races if either driver triumphs on Sunday.
Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Russell... Even without mentioning Ferrari, the unpredictability over who might win the Dutch GP is incredible.
To find out more about our comprehensive range of services, or to book your vehicle in, contact our friendly team of experts today.
There are two more European-based races for 2024, so enjoy the standard Sunday hours while they last. Lights out is at 2 PM on Sunday afternoon if you're tuning in for live coverage.
Qualifying – On air: 1:15 PM, Session start: 2 PM Saturday 24th August
Race – On air: 12:30 PM, Session start: 2 PM Sunday 25th August
Qualifying – Highlights: 5:30 PM Saturday 24th August
Race – Highlights: 6:30 PM Sunday 25th August
Qualifying/Race – Saturday looks set to be soaking, with rainfall probability peaking at 90%. Sunday, however, sees mild highs of 19°C and only a 10% chance of rain.