As the F1 circus rolls into Zandvoort for the 2024 Dutch GP, all eyes are on Max Verstappen, who returns to his home circuit with something to prove. After a season that has shattered expectations, we’ve witnessed unprecedented competitiveness across the grid. With seven drivers claiming victory in the last 14 races, the 2024 Dutch GP presents itself as another opportunity for a new winner, or whether Verstappen’s home advantage will come in handy? Read about it all in the weekend preview from DRC.
Another Potential Record for Verstappen?
For fans, it’s been a refreshing change of pace from Red Bull’s previous dominance. Teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren are all stepping up to the challenge. Verstappen, the reigning world champion, finds himself in unfamiliar territory, with his last win dating back to Barcelona.
But if there’s one race Max Verstappen will be particularly determined to win, it’s the 2024 Dutch GP. As his home event, Verstappen is unlikely to let up, and for Red Bull, being competitive at Zandvoort is a must. Since the middle of the 2022 season, Verstappen has embarked on an extraordinary run of dominance, shattering records along the way. This weekend, he has the opportunity to add another milestone to his name. A win would make him only the fourth driver in F1 history to win their home race four times in a row, joining Lewis Hamilton, Jim Clark, and Juan Manuel Fangio.
Are Red Bull developmental plans & second seat going haywire?
Last year, Red Bull capitalized not only on their continuous upgrades but also on the struggles of their main rivals, Mercedes and Ferrari. However, this season is a different story, as both teams have addressed their issues over the winter and are now back in contention for race wins.
Red Bull’s latest innovations have provided some aerodynamic gains but have not delivered the expected performance boost. Technical Director Pierre Wache has openly acknowledged these challenges.
We improved compared to last year, without a doubt,” he told Autosport.
“But we didn’t deliver what we expected in some areas.
A significant concern for the reigning champions is that they have already introduced several major update packages, while other top teams, particularly McLaren, still have substantial upgrades to come.
Red Bull’s challenges this season extend beyond car performance. Perez’s recent drop from 2nd to 7th in the final race before the summer break has highlighted his difficulty in keeping pace with rivals from McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Despite this, Red Bull has opted not to replace him, instead focusing on his discomfort with the RB20, particularly his complaints about a lack of grip.
To help Perez regain his early-season form, Red Bull plans to reintroduce older RB20 components. However, with McLaren and Mercedes improving and Ferrari set to introduce significant upgrades, even a return to form might not be enough.
Ferrari prepares for crucial upgrades at 2024 Dutch GP
At the start of the season, Ferrari emerged as Red Bull’s closest challenger. However, as McLaren and Mercedes have made significant strides, Ferrari’s decline has been largely self-inflicted. The upgrades introduced to the SF-24 in Spain failed to deliver the expected results, with the increased downforce reintroducing bouncing issues and forcing the team into setup compromises.
Ferrari has worked to mitigate these issues in recent races, and further corrections are expected at the 2024 Dutch GP. Changes to the rear suspension and diffuser should provide a more stable baseline, allowing Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to unlock greater performance and build confidence. However, the last few months have been tough for Ferrari, both on and off the track.
In addition to their development struggles, Ferrari has lost key personnel, most notably former technical director Enrico Cardile. As they search for his replacement, rumors suggest former Mercedes technical director Mike Elliott is being considered. This uncertainty, coupled with Ferrari’s lag in securing top talent like Adrian Newey, raises concerns about the team’s direction not only for the remainder of this season but also as the new regulations approach in 2025.
All Mighty McLaren
McLaren’s rise as a Championship contender this season has been marked by impressive performances from Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, both of whom claimed their maiden F1 victories.
The turning point came with a major upgrade package introduced in Miami, which catapulted the team to the front and erased Red Bull’s early advantage. However, despite their speed, McLaren has been hampered by strategic mistakes and operational issues, limiting their success and leaving them trailing Max Verstappen by significant margins in the Drivers’ standings.
Looking ahead, McLaren has a sequence of critical upgrades in the pipeline, which Team Principal Andrea Stella believes could boost their competitiveness in the latter half of the season.
“I’m surprised that we’ve been so competitive, considering that from Miami onwards, we haven’t actually brought trackside many new parts,”
Stella remarked. “Obviously, the Miami upgrade was big, but there’s some upgrades that will come in the second part of the season.”
With fresh upgrades on the horizon, McLaren is in a strong position to continue pushing Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship, even as they face the challenge of closing the gap to Verstappen and contending with Ferrari and Mercedes.
Mercedes’ Future: Upgrades and Talent Pipeline
At the start of the 2024 season, Mercedes faced genuine concerns with the W15, which struggled with unpredictability and balance issues. However, the introduction of a new front wing in Monaco, along with other changes, significantly improved the car’s stability. This breakthrough allowed Mercedes to overcome earlier correlation issues and see the performance gains from the wind tunnel translate onto the track. With confidence growing, the team is poised for a final push of upgrades before shifting focus to the 2025 season.
Meanwhile, Mercedes has made Kimi Antonelli a priority for their future lineup.
The 17-year-old’s impressive performances in Formula 2, including a dominant victory at Silverstone, have bolstered his position as a potential F1 driver. Despite earlier speculation linking more established names like Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz to Mercedes, the team is now set on integrating Antonelli into their plans for the 2025 season. Toto Wolff has highlighted Antonelli as a key focus, especially in light of the surprising contract announcement of Lewis Hamilton and the potential for instability at Red Bull.
Weather and Track information
The track in use this weekend is the Zandvoort circuit. The circuit remained a staple until 1985, before its much-anticipated return in 2021 after a 35-year hiatus. Located 35 km west of Amsterdam, Zandvoort is a 4.259 km (2.646 mi) track set in the North Sea dunes. Known for its challenging layout, Zandvoort features fast, sweeping corners like Scheivlak and the famous “Tarzanbocht” hairpin at the end of the main straight.
Tarzanbocht, with its unique camber, offers excellent overtaking opportunities. The circuit’s elevation changes, including a peak difference of 8.9 meters (29 feet), and highly banked turns like Turn 3 (19-degree incline) and Turns 13/14 (18-degree bank), add to the technical demands of the track, making it a true driver’s challenge.
The weather throughout the weekend is predicted as follows:
When and Where to watch
All the sessions will be streamed on F1 TV and Fancode.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday – 23 August
Practice 1 – 16:00 – 17:00
Practice 2 – 19:30 – 20:30
Saturday – 24 August
Practice 3 – 15:00 – 16:00
Qualifying – 18:30 – 19:30
Sunday – 25 August
Race – 18:30
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