Crazy Dutch VC! Verstappen triumphs again and sets another record. One surprise name on the podium

What a spectacle! Although it may not look it on paper, the return of Formula 1 after a long summer break did not disappoint in any way, despite another win for Max Verstappen and Red Bull. The Dutchman drove to his ninth consecutive triumph in a dramatic, rain-affected, home grand prix. The feat equalled Sebastian Vettel’s decade-old record. Verstappen was joined on the podium by Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly.

The thirteenth Formula One Grand Prix of the season at the legendary Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands ended the four-week summer break. The grand prix returned to the country in 2021 thanks largely to the rise in popularity of Max Verstappen. Before that, Zandvoort was raced almost continuously between 1952 and 1985.

Championship leader and current reigning queen of motorsport, Verstappen arrived on home soil with a chance to equal Sebastian Vettel’s decade-old record.

The former Red Bull driver, with whom the team celebrated four world championship titles between 2010 and 2013, has recorded nine consecutive victories in 2013. Verstappen was sitting on eight triumphs ahead of the race weekend at Zandvoort and only a miracle would make it impossible to match that feat.

A bombastic start to the second half of the season

Just before the start, the team reported the threat of raindrops to Fernando Alonso. The warm-up lap went without them, and neither driver opted to risk starting the race on intermediate tyres.

Poleman Verstappen held on to first position after the lights went out. Immediately after the start, however, the rain began to fall on Zandvoort, growing heavier by the second. Mother Nature couldn’t have picked a better moment for maximum drama!

LAP 2/72

And the rain has started pouring down 🌧️

Perez is one of several drivers who pit for inters#DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/n2G6LoxXsF

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 27, 2023

A sizeable group of drivers, particularly in the second half of the field, headed to the pits for intermediate specification tyres at the end of the first circuit. Sergio Pérez was the first of this group to pit, and he subsequently took the lead after the rest of the drivers, led by Verstappen, went for the green-marked tyres.

Miraculously, the opening laps of the Dutch GP were devoid of any yellow flags or safety cars. Only Charles Leclerc lost part of his front wing after a light tap with Oscar Piastri’s sidewall.

The shower quickly left Zandvoort and very quickly everyone headed back to their mechanics for dry tyres. Mercedes were the biggest losers of the whole post-start lottery, with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finding themselves in second place.

On the other hand, Pierre Gasly and Zhou Guanyu, drivers of the Alpine and Alfa Romeo respectively, earned the most positions. They jumped from the tail of the field into the top five.

Not even a brief chapter of rain caught the unstoppable Red Bull, whose drivers, despite all the action, were almost immediately in the top two positions. Verstappen pitted ahead of teammate Pérez, which put the reigning champion back into the race leader’s position.

An unfortunate race for Mercedes and Ferrari

Fans were only just calming down after a breathtaking opening race when Logan Sargeant crashed on lap 16 for the second time in the grand prix weekend.

The safety car was out on track and circulated around the track for a total of five laps. The restart of the grand prix, however, did not add to the portfolio of dramatic moments in the Dutch GP. Verstappen led Perez, Alonso, Gasly and Sainz and immediately began to pass the rest of the field as usual.

As has been the norm this season, once Red Bull, especially Verstappen, settles into the lead, all eyes will shift to the always interesting midfield. Hamilton was responsible for much of the on-track action. The British Mercedes driver outpaced one driver after another on the soft set-up and managed to climb into the top ten.

However, his teammate Russell remained stuck around 15th place without much hope of making similar progress. Leclerc had a similarly dismal race, being passed by Valtteri Bottas on lap 39 and even by debutant Liam Lawson two laps later! Ferrari eventually decided to withdraw Leclerc, for whom this was his third grand prix retirement this year.

Adding gasoline to the Ferrari fire was Alonso, who got back to the podium after an undercut on Sainz ahead of his compatriot. Gasly held on to fifth place with twenty laps to go, despite a five-second penalty for speeding in the pits. Albon was also a nice surprise, holding on to seventh despite a performance deficit for his Williams.

Rain Drama: Chapter Two

Throughout the middle part of the race, the engineers of many teams were scaring their drivers that more rain might arrive at the circuit. The promised shower finally cut through the circuit with twelve laps to go. All the drivers went for intermediate tyres except Ocon, whose team had fitted him with extreme wet tyres.

A seemingly innocent shower quickly developed into a huge downpour. Pérez gifted his second place to Alonso after his own mistake when he lost control of his car while braking into the first corner.

Luckily for the Mexican, he only brushed the barrier with his rear wing and was able to continue his race. When Zhou crashed heavily in the same place a few moments later, the race directorate reacted by flying red flags. This was on lap 64 of the 72 laps.

Before the red flag, Zhou aquaplaned into the Turn 1 barriers

His car has damage, but the Chinese driver is out of the car and looks okay (if a little damp) 👍#DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/1kZA7M5A0X

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 27, 2023

Even though 75% of the total length of the grand prix had already been driven, race management decided to restart. The radar indicated that the rain would not last long, so there was no reason to end the race early. Concerned about pit lane collisions during the mass change from extreme to intermediate tyres, Race Direction decided to make the use of intermediate tyres mandatory.

After a wait of more than half an hour, the drivers set off for the final six-lap sprint. After the restart, leader Verstappen was being pressed by Alonso, but the veteran could not find a recipe for the 25-year-old Dutchman.

The duo were followed by Pérez, who received a five-second penalty for the same offence as Gasly earlier. Russell dropped to the tail of the field after a collision with Lando Norris.

Neither the double rain surprise nor five pit stops stopped Verstappen from achieving his eleventh win of the season. Not only that, the Hasselt, Belgium native successfully matched Vettel’s record for consecutive grand prix wins.

At the same time, the string of first places for Red Bull extended to fourteen. Second-placed Alonso returned to the podium where he last stood during the Canadian GP. Third place went to Frenchman Gasly, who delivered his second podium of the season for the Alpine team.

Dutch Formula One Grand Prix results (Race 13/22, 72 laps = 306.587 km; top 10 only):

1. Max Verstappen (Niz., Red Bull) 2:24.04.411
2. Fernando Alonso (Span., Aston Martin) +3.744
3. Pierre Gasly (Fra., Alpine) +7.058
4. Sergio Pérez (Mex., Red Bull) +10.068
5. Carlos Sainz (Span., Ferrari) +12.541
6. Lewis Hamilton (Brit., Mercedes) +13.209
7. Lando Norris (Brit., McLaren) +13.232
8. Alexander Albon (Tha., Williams) +15.155
9. Oscar Piastri (Aus., McLaren) +16.580
10. Esteban Ocon (Fra., Alpine) +18.346

2023 Formula One drivers’ standings (after race 13/22; top 10 only):

1. Max Verstappen (Niz., Red Bull) 339 points
2. Sergio Pérez (Mex., Red Bull) 201
3. Fernando Alonso (Spain, Aston Martin) 168
4. Lewis Hamilton (Brit., Mercedes) 156
5. Carlos Sainz (Span., Ferrari) 102
6. Charles Leclerc (Mon., Ferrari) 99
7. George Russell (Brit., Mercedes) 99
8. Lando Norris (Brit., McLaren) 75
9. Lance Stroll (Can., Aston Martin) 47
10. Pierre Gasly (Fra., Alpine) 37

Source: F1