(Zandvoort) Do we take the same ones and start over? Formula 1 resumes this weekend in the Netherlands after a month of summer break and reigning double world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) will once again be the big favorite in front of his home crowd.
The Dutchman will try to win a ninth consecutive victory on the shores of the North Sea and no one seems able to prevent him, as he has flown over the last three months of competition.
Verstappen, who tops the provisional World Championship standings with 125 points ahead of his Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez, is indeed untouchable in the race thanks to his outstanding driving, but also to the superiority of his single-seater.
“The summer break was very good, but I’m looking forward to the second part of the season and nothing better than starting in the Netherlands. The weather could be capricious, but whether it’s dry or wet, I’ll do my best to score as many points as possible,” said the 25-year-old.
Pérez, who has finished on the podium in three of the last four GPs, has raised the bar but seems unable to compete with his teammate. However, he can delay the announced coronation of Verstappen if he manages to get on the podium even more regularly.
The fight behind Red Bull promises to be tight again this weekend between Fernando Alonso, who was slightly behind in the last races at the wheel of his Aston Martin, the Mercedes and the Ferraris, even the McLarens, who have experienced a spectacular recovery since the beginning of summer.
“The results have not been what we had hoped for so far. We have to work to improve a little in all areas in order to gain the two tenths (of a second) that we are missing. But the whole team and the drivers showed a remarkable state of mind and we are pushing in the same direction to get the most out of the car,” explained Frédéric Vasseur, the boss of the Scuderia.
Charles Leclerc, author of two podiums in July, will aim for continuity on his single-seater which will not present any novelty in the Netherlands. Still far from Alonso and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who are neck and neck for third place in the championship, the Monegasque will try to grab a few points to stay in the race.
Hamilton, who still hasn’t extended his contract with Mercedes, is now just a point behind Alonso and looks set to grab third place at Zandvoort, where he finished second last year. .
“We’ve recharged the batteries and are ready for the second half of the season, where we’ll keep pushing to achieve our goals like second place in the constructors’ standings. We will also lead the development of the car for 2024 so we can’t wait to get started this weekend,” said Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolf.
On the French side, Alpine, which made many changes before the summer break, including the dismissal of team boss Otmar Szafnauer, will try to bounce back after a disastrous start to the 2023 season.
“The weeks leading up to the break were not easy for everyone. It is now important to turn our backs and work collectively hard to progress in all areas so that our results on the track underline our ambitions”, underlined Bruno Famin, director of Alpine Motorsports who will officiate on the edge of track in Zandvoort.
“We can only hunker down and work hard. I am convinced that the results will follow, estimated the French driver Pierre Gasly. We have ten races left to show what we are capable of and find more representative places in the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. »
