F1 Dutch GP 2023: Everything you need to know

This is the home race of current World Champion Max Verstappen

Formula One (F1) is back after a month, and it will be the champion’s den where we’ll be kicking off the second half of the 2023 F1 season. Since making its return to the F1 calendar in 2021, Max Verstappen has gone on to win the Dutch GP on both occasions. 

This year, though, the Red Bull driver already has a hefty 125-point lead in the championship and is currently on an eight-race-winning streak. Thus, a win at Zandvoort this weekend will make him equal with Sebastian Vettel for the most consecutive race victories.

However, with the likes of McLaren, Mercedes, and Aston Martin all expected to bring in upgrades in some capacity, it’ll not be plain sailing for the two-time world champion.

Zandvoort track history and characteristics

First opened in 1948, Zandvoort, like Silverstone, was part of the wave of post-war motorsport enthusiasm that swept across Europe. Formula 1 arrived in the Dutch dunes in 1952, with Alberto Ascari securing the first race victory. Formula 1 would go on to race at the Zandvoort circuit until 1985, before, in 2021, after a 36-year hiatus, F1 returned to the Dutch dunes. 

The 4.259 km circuit swoops and flows through the sand dunes, creating a rollercoaster-like feel to the lap. This is a track where high downforce is a must, and its narrowness means even the slightest of mistakes can be punishing. And while the circuit was modernised in time for F1’s most recent return, including increasing the banking angle at the famous Tarzan corner, Zandvoort still lacks in providing overtaking opportunities, with Turn 1 being the primary go-to option for most drivers.

Weather 

It looks like rain is going to be in the air throughout this weekend, with chances of light showers and one or two drizzles on each day of running. Pirelli opted to go with the hardest set of compounds as teams seemingly struggled with tyre degradation last year. However, under much cooler track conditions, heating up the tyres can become an issue for some of the teams. Although much of this rain is forecast during the morning sessions, with large sunny spells later on in the day, one can never be certain what the day will bring. 

Team News

After spending almost the entirety of the first half primarily working on making their car better, McLaren should be expected to bring in one or two upgrades every fortnight from hereon till the end of the season, with Zak Brown suggesting the team aims to finish much closer to Red Bull and well clear of the field as the second-best car on the grid.

Fellow British constructor Aston Martin might have a say in this. Aston Martin are currently third on the Constructors’ table with 196 points, however, they’ve fallen behind the likes of McLaren, Mercedes, and even Ferrari in the development race. But if we are to believe their team principal, Mike Crack, the new upgrades they’ll be bringing in for Zandvoort and the rest of the season should see them climb back up to being the second-best car.

Berkeley-based Mercedes are also expected to bring in new upgrades to their W-14, with some suggesting that we could see an updated underfloor for both cars at the Dutch GP. 

Middle of the pack Haas Racing have also been busy this summer break, working out ways to improve their car’s race pace and tyre degradation issues. In terms of major upgrades, we could see Haas upgrading the front wing and brake ducts to solve the overheating issue. 

And finally, to the Prancing horses: A lot is expected from Ferrari after a disappointing first half of the season. The Maranello-based team is sitting in fourth, five points behind Aston and 56 behind second-placed Mercedes.

However, in a recent interview, team principal Fred Vasseur said that the team would not be bringing any upgrades to the Dutch or Italian GPs given that both tracks prioritise contrasting features from a car. Vasseur has also expressed that the team will be working on both the 2023 and 2024 cars independently, believing there is still more to be extracted from this year’s SF-23 before calling it a day. 

When and where to watch Dutch GP?

For viewers in India, the Dutch GP will not be broadcast on any TV channel. One can watch the live stream of the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix only on F1 TV Pro in India.

The schedule for the Dutch GP is as follows:

Friday, August 25

Free Practice 1: 16:00–17:00 IST

Free Practice 2: 19:30–20:30 IST

Saturday, August 26 

Free Practice 3: 15:00–16:00 IST

Qualifying: 18:30–19:30 IST

Sunday, August 27 

Main Race: 18:30–20:30 IST

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