Folks, the summer brake is over—and what a way to kick off the second half of the season! The Dutch Grand Prix at iconic Circuit Zandvoort is here, and it’s packed to the brim with drama, dunes, and Dutch orange energy.
Championship Showdown .
McLaren’s dominance continues: Oscar Piastri leads the Drivers’ Standings by nine points over teammate Lando Norris—both of them riding hot form, with six wins for Piastri, five for Norris so far this season. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, despite his home-track advantage and previous Zandvoort wins, sits a distant third, 97 points back.
Can Anyone Overtake at This Circuit?
Zandvoort isn’t your average racetrack—it’s tight, twisty, full of challenging banks, and famously difficult for overtaking. Since its 2021 return, every winner here has started from pole position.
So qualifying is absolutely critical—and that only ramps up the pressure on the drivers and their teams this weekend.
Weather Alert: Expect Drama On and Off Track
Rain looks like it might mix things up. Friday starts dry (20%), but showers pick up to 80% by the second practice. Saturday remains shaky, with 40% chance of rain during qualifying. On Sunday, the race might begin wet (80%)—though it could taper to 40% by the green flag. Expect temperatures between 18–27 °C and breezy south winds.
To me, that spells strategy bingo: slick vs intermediate vs wet, pit timing, tire gambles… bring it.
What to Know: Schedule and Excitement
Here’s what the weekend looks like (all times local, UTC+2):
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Friday, 29 August:
- F1 Academy Practice (10:10–10:50)
- F1 Free Practice 1 (12:30–13:30)
- Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Practice (14:00–14:45)
- F1 Free Practice 2 (16:00–17:00)
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Saturday, 30 August:
- F1 Academy Qualifying (10:25–10:55)
- F1 Practice 3 (11:30–12:30)
- Porsche Supercup Qualifying (13:00–13:30)
- F1 Qualifying (15:00–16:00)
- F1 Academy Race 1 (17:05–17:40)
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Sunday, 31 August:
- F1 Academy Race 2 (10:40–11:15)
- Porsche Supercup Race (11:55–12:30)
- Drivers’ Parade (13:00–13:30)
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F1 Race (72 laps / ~120 mins) – 15:00–17:00
This is round 15 of 24 for the season, with the racing world zeroed in on Zandvoort.
