The 5 challenges of the Dutch Grand Prix

Continuity objective at Mercedes

With three victories in the last four races, the German team was the team in best form at the end of the first part of the season. A question arises in everyone's minds: will the Silver Arrows continue their momentum during the Dutch GP?

In this season full of twists and turns, nothing is less certain. The teams have been passing the flame of success from race to race since the start of the year. Nevertheless, Mercedes has an important advantage: its pair of drivers seem to be working better than ever, like what happened in Belgium before the break. The disqualification of George Russell, victorious at Spa, did not prevent Mercedes from winning since it was his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, who had inherited the victory.

A Mercedes driver can therefore hide another. In Zandvoort, we will undoubtedly have to count on them. Especially since their car seems to be doing better than ever since the start of the technical regulations introduced in 2022.

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Verstappen's double quest

It has now been four races since the Dutchman has not won a Grand Prix, settling for a second place at Silverstone and a Sprint race victory at Spielberg in Austria. This hadn't happened in his career since 2020, the year preceding his first coronation.

The only thing is: since the Dutch GP returned to the calendar in 2021, only one man has won it. Max Verstappen, king on his land, made his home race his unmissable event.

The challenge for the three-time world champion is twofold: to return to victory and continue his flawless performance at home. If he seems out of reach in the Drivers' championship, the Dutchman is somewhat alone in bringing his team to the Manufacturers' standings. Winning at Zandvoort also means earning big points for your team... which really needs them with Sergio Pérez absent!

Zandvoort, land of success for Alpine

After the break, the French team arrives at Zandvoort with a new face, that of its new Team Principal. Briton Oliver Oakes will take up his position in the Netherlands, replacing Bruno Famin. Alpine also counts bring a big change at the end of the season to prepare for 2025.

The French team got off to a bad start to the year, but managed to find what needed to be done to move in the direction of the best by placing its drivers Pierre Gasly et Esteban Ocon several times in the top ten. The objective of the new leaders of the team will be to find consistency and what better place than Zandvoort to start this second act of the championship? In the Netherlands, the A arrow has always managed to place its two drivers in the points, since the Dutch GP returned to the calendar.

Last year, Pierre Gasly even achieved a brilliant third place on Dutch soil, the second of the season after Ocon's in Monaco. Without hoping to climb on the podium, Alpine intends to bring back valuable points from the Netherlands.

Moving forwards together. Welcoming Oli to the team 🤝 pic.twitter.com/CffS1GqCkt

—BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) July 31, 2024

Zhou – Bottas: shine to survive

Having suffered from poor results since the start of the season, Sauber is the only team not to have scored any points. Its two pilots, Valtteri Bottas et Guanyu-Zhou, have not found a seat for next season and are in the hot seat.

For 2025, there is only one place left in the Swiss team, Nico Hulkenberg having already signed with Sauber. Especially since the seats in the team are increasing in value, in view of the arrival of Audi in 2026, which obviously has a say in the appointment of a driver...

Zhou and Bottas are therefore in the battle to keep a place in F1. Bottas has experience, Zhou has youth. Other names are also being pushed by rumors and could oust the two current drivers. Whatever happens for the Sino-Finnish duo, they will have to shine and fight on the track to become the essential choice for Sauber. The Dutch GP must be successful for them.

The Racing Bulls vs. Haas

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Still in the second half of the grid, but a little higher, a battle is raging. The Racing Bulls took the advantage over the Haas, but are only seven points ahead. The American team risks experiencing some difficulties. For several seasons, the second part of the championship has always been worse than the first. Especially since Ayao Komatsu, senior director of Haas, confided that American training would no longer bring developments until the end of the season. The objective is therefore to maintain regularity until Abu Dhabi.

The Racing Bulls are carried by two drivers who foresee the glow of a seat at Red Bull and therefore push to try to get it. Daniel Ricciardo et Yuki tsunoda apply and perform to achieve their goals, carrying their stable with them. “ We expect a tough battle with our closest competitors for points, tempered Jody Egginton, the technical director of the Italian team. We look forward to the battle in this very intense second half of the season ».

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