Race Week in The Netherlands

FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2024

It's race week in the Netherlands.

F1 stops at Circuit Zandvoort, North Holland, the Netherlands.

The Dutch Grand Prix, with a rich history dating back to the 1950s, triumphantly returned in 2021. After being a staple of the F1 season from 1958 until 1985, the GP was absent for several years. Its return in 2021 was a momentous occasion for F1 enthusiasts, marking the revival of a beloved event.

About the Circuit: It is located in Zandvoort, Holland, near the North Sea coastline, about 35 km (22 mi) west of Amsterdam. Circuit Zandvoort is a quick and twisty circuit known for its banked corners, the highest on the current F1 calendar. The fourteen-turn circuit measures 4.259 km (2.646 mi). It is a fan favorite with lots of orange for Max Verstappen's home GP. Zandvoort is Home to multiple series like Supercar, Historic F1 championship, F1 championship, and Porsche Supercup.

Weekend Highlights:

A fitting ending to the summer break, a race by the beach, F1 returns for the start of the second half of the 2024 season.

ALL EYES ARE ON MCLAREN. The team is under immense pressure, but it's also in a position to make history. With the possibility of a constructors title for the first time in 25 years, both drivers performing at their peak, and expected upgrades, McLaren could be on the brink of a legendary surge by the end of the season.

Red Bull. It is Red Bull's to lose—all of it, everything. The constructor's championship, the Driver's title? Max and RB will likely walk away with both titles, but it's not guaranteed. With RB being a bit stagnant in the last few races, RB is a strong team and professional, and bouncing back is part of being a champion. With the upcoming expiration of Liam Lawson's contract in September, the driver drama at RB is not over yet, and the first two races back from the break are critical for every Driver on the RB teams. It should be incredible entertainment for the remainder of August.

Mercedes can catch fire. Did anyone expect Mercedes' massive upswing after a slower start? With three wins this season, I see a few more wins before the season ends. Comfortably fourth in the constructors' championship and the drivers sixth and eighth in the Driver's title, Mercedes has the potential and the juice to make a late-season surge. Lewis has been on fire, with four podiums (two wins) in the last six races and a lowest finishing position of fourth. He's officially a front-runner again.

Ferrari needs a jumpstart. Following a very impressive start to the season, the team struggled after Charle's iconic Monaco victory. Mclaren overtook Ferrari, dropping them into third in the constructors' championship, and Lando overtook Charles for second in the drivers' title. With Mercedes and McLaren surging, Ferrari must find a way back to the front and protect their positions in the constructors' and drivers' championships.

VCARB has been a source of excitement all season. Yuki's extraordinary season and Ricciardo's surge towards the end of the first half have made this Driver pairing a force to be reckoned with. August promises to be an intense month for the entire Red Bull driver lineup, with Liam's contract set to expire and five drivers vying for four driver spots, adding an extra layer of competition within the team.

Aston Martin "meh". If you compare the 2024 season to the 2023 season, Aston Martin would have to say this season has been slightly disappointing. With a slower start to the season, the team has scored points consistently but has yet to fight for podiums, with only one top-five finish this season. With Alonso's eight podiums in 2023, the expectation was slightly higher for Aston Martin this season. With the rumors of a potential destination for Adrian Newey's services next season, the buzz at Aston Martin is not entirely gone. A few strong races early in this second half could catapult a late-season run. Comfortably in fifth position in the constructors, fourth is most likely out of reach, and there is a nice gap to sixth; Aston Martin has the cushion to try some things later in the season.

Haas needs to finish strong. Haas had an incredible start to the 2024 season with multiple double points weekends and a pair of sixth-place finishes from Nico, resulting in a massive points haul. What can be expected in the second half of the season? Haas could not score another point this season, and they have already more than doubled the points from last season. I expect more of the same; a couple of double-point finishes, a surprise sixth-place finish again, forty constructors points, and a seventh-place finish is possible for Haas, wrapping up one of the most successful seasons for Haas.

Alpine needs to be reliable. The season has been up and down. It started slow, and then Alpine found some success stringing together some points finishes. Consistency is key. Alpine has scored points in six of the last nine races and has shown signs of race pace but has suffered reliability issues. With an expected announcement of Esteban Ocon's replacement, Alpine will have some media buzz around the team. Hopefully, they can capitalize on the track.

Williams can go either way. One day into the summer break, Williams announced the news of Carlos Sainz signing with the team for the 2025 season. Excitement is high at Williams; a stronger finish to the 2nd half of the 2024 season would be an excellent way to finish out what has turned out to be a less-than-stellar first half. The team has struggled to score consistent points. Eighth place ahead of Alpine isn't entirely out of possibility yet, but neither is finishing last in the constructors; it could go either way for Williams. I would like to see Logan Sargeant score more points before he leaves the team, adding some needed validation for there to ever be a future in F1. Parts shortages cramped the team early in the season; we will see how Williams reacts after a much-needed summer break.

Stake-Sauber. Still, the only team yet to score a point, Sauber has yet to be able to put it all together during a race weekend. Expectations were low this season with the team switchover next season, but this is not a good reflection of a proven Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. With an announcement of Nico Hulkenberg's teammate for next season's Audi-Sauber team, there are many pieces up in the air right now at Sauber. Hopefully, the team bounces back strong, but there is also a possibility we will see little, as this team will be overhauled into next season.