The Dutch Grand Prix is once again part of the Formula 1 calendar. It is racing for the thirty-first edition, 36 years after the last, still on the Zandvoort circuit, but on a different configuration. The return of the Grand Prix had already been scheduled during the 2020 season, at the beginning of May. In 2019, it was officially re-entered into the calendar with a three-year validation, but was subsequently postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race is held on the Zandvoort circuit, which on various configurations has always been the site of the Dutch Grand Prix of Formula 1. It hosted the Grand Prix in 1952, 1953, 1955, from 1958 to 1971 and finally from 1973 to 1985. The circuit was also the site of two non-valid trials for the World Championship, in the inaugural edition, in 1950 and 1951. Two other editions, on the same track, in 1948 and 1949, were raced under the name of Zandvoort Grand Prix. The Federation has placed the Grand Prix on the calendar at the beginning of September, between the Belgian and Italian Grands Prix. This establishes the dispute of three races over three weekends in a row, as has already happened once in the 2018 World Championship, three times in the 2020 season and also this season between the French Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix. In fact, the calendar was revised after the Turkey Grand Prix was postponed, due to the restrictions imposed by the United Kingdom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dutch race provides the possibility for the fans to attend the event, as has already happened for the majority of the Grands Prix held in the central part of the championship, in Europe. On the eve of the previous Belgian Grand Prix, the organizers established that the event will not be held with the maximum capacity allowed - around 100.000 spectators - but that it will be reduced to 67%. In fact, on Friday 13 August 20221, the Dutch government establishes that, due to COVID-19, events cannot have more than 67% of the capacity. The number one of the organizing committee, Jan Lammers, underlines:
"For me the glass is two-thirds full. The three companies behind the organization of the Dutch Grand Prix (Circuit Zandvoort, SportVibes and TIG Sports) have decided to invest in the future of F1 in the Netherlands. The ambition to organize the largest Ultimate Race Festival in the world remains the primary goal for the coming years. This year the party will be in a minor tone, but there will be plenty of orange in the stands as a backdrop to the battle for the F1 world championship. This is a very complex puzzle given that some viewers will be denied access. I realize the misfortune and annoyance that this choice may entail, but we have no alternatives".
The Ministry of Defence, chaired by Ank Bijleveld, decides to cancel the traditional air show on the day of the race, due to budgetary issues.
The Minister's spokesman, on the matter, declares:
"We are working on a major humanitarian operation in Afghanistan. Therefore, it seems inappropriate for us to hold an air show before the Formula 1 race".
Over the years, the Zandvoort circuit has undergone a renovation, while maintaining the marked variations in altitude that characterize turn 3 (Hugenholtz) and turn 14 (Arie Luyenduk), which leads onto the main straight. The route, completely resurfaced, has seen the modification of some curves, together with the widening of the roadway - now 4259 km long - which winds through 14 curves, 10 to the right and 4 to the left. The first intermediate circuit of the circuit is located 110 m before turn 7 (Scheivlak), the second 150 meters before turn 11 (Hans Ernst), while the third coincides with the finish line of the main starting straight. The speed trap, i.e. the point where the maximum speed is measured, is located 95 meters before turn 1 (Tarzan). The minimum speed inside the pit lane is set at 60 km/h. The expected race distance is 72 laps, equal to 306.587 meters. The Federation establishes two zones where the DRS can be activated. The first zone is on the main straight, with the point for determining the gap between riders before turn 13 (Kumho).
For safety reasons, the FIA has not established the start of the first DRS zone on the bank of the last corner (Arie Luyenduk), but at the start of the main straight. The second zone is established between turns 10 and 11 (Hans Ernst), with a detection point fixed at the entrance to turn 10. However, at the end of the first free practice session on Friday, the FIA will not allow the first to be moved DRS area on the parabolic curve 14 (Arie Luyenduk), such as to allow the opening of the mobile device in advance. The request had been presented by some drivers in order to facilitate overtaking. Fernando Alonso, regarding the matter, declares:
"Overtaking is difficult here, yes. You need a big tire lead to be very close in the last two or three corners. I think banking was also intended to allow cars to use DRS, but it was decided to put the Drag Reduction System after the second banked. And the straight is perhaps too short to have a big advantage. The alternative was to put the DRS into a corner but evidently there were dangers and they didn't allow it".
The Federation recommends to the drivers that in the event of missing turn 1 (Tarzan), turn 8 (Master) and turn 11 (Hans Ernst), to use the escape route located outside them in order to return to safe trajectory. The former Formula 1 driver, the American Danny Sullivan, is appointed assistant commissioner for the race. He also performed this function in the past, most recently at the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix. For this Grand Prix, the British car manufacturer Aston Martin supplies the safety car and the medical car. Thanks to the cancellation, for the second consecutive year, of the Japanese Grand Prix originally scheduled for 10 October 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Formula 1 allows teams to recover a bonus of 1.2 million dollars on the limit amount expenditure set by the budget cap. The limit of 145 million dollars was set taking into account 21 Grands Prix per season. With the originally planned schedule of 23 appointments, the spending limit had risen to $147.4 million. Thanks to a regulatory clause, the teams can keep this figure. After what happened in the previous Belgian Grand Prix, the Federation is ready to consider a regulatory change by revisiting the current rules. In fact, in Belgium, adverse weather conditions led to the postponement of the race marked by a single lap - behind the safety car - in order to assign the score in half, establishing the shortest Formula 1 Grand Prix in history. There were no complaints. McLaren Team Principal Zac Brown said:
"I don't think there is anyone who can say that the race could have been held safely, but we have to find a solution for this type of circumstance. It's not fair to establish a result after three laps behind the Safety Car. That's why the rules must be reviewed by all of us, to analyze what happened today and understand what to do in case of similar situations in the future, ensuring that everyone can still watch the race, whether it's the day after or at a later time. I don't think there is one person ready to define today's race as a race so we will work with the hope that a similar event will never happen again".
In this regard, on Monday 30 August 2021, the race director, Michael Masi, announced that at the next meeting of the F1 Commission scheduled for Tuesday 5 October 2021, all the necessary aspects will be evaluated with the ten teams:
"I think that after this weekend on the occasion of the next meeting for next year, we will focus together on all those aspects that everyone wants to discuss. We are all aware that we are experiencing one of those situations in which the Federation wants to collaborate with all ten teams to improve the regulation. We will analyse all the scenarios and see everyone's opinion".
On Tuesday 31 August 2021, Honda submits an application to the Federation with a request to implement a modification to the regulation, concerning the possibility of being able to replace individual damaged parts of an engine. The aim is to reach an agreement according to which the parts managed by the Federation can be replaced without incurring any penalties.
The reference is based on the power unit mounted by the Red Bull Racing driver, Max Verstappen, who at the British Grand Prix, hit the barriers at very high speed following a contact with Lewis Hamilton. Honda's Technical Director, Toyoharu Tanabe, comments:
"As you know with the current rules on power units, we cannot replace parts controlled by the FIA. Unfortunately, we would really like to change these parts. Of course, Honda respects these regulations established after discussions between the FIA and the motorists. But, looking at the current situation, I think the time has come to review these rules. We could review the and re-evaluate the data and the damage to the frame, to the engine, and all together we could discuss whether it is appropriate to replace the damaged parts or not. Considering the current economic conditions, and the sustainability of this sport, I believe there is a way to keep these aspects valid".
While awaiting a response from the FIA, Red Bull Racing submits a complaint against Mercedes on Wednesday 1 September 2021. The Milton Keynes team believes that the Brackley team has managed to obtain more horsepower in the acceleration phase by cooling the air in the last few races. According to article 5.6.8 of the technical regulation, the air temperature in the plenum must be at least 10 °C higher than the ambient temperature. In the meantime, on Tuesday 31 August 2021 McLaren informs that the power unit on the car of Lando Norris, who was involved in an accident in the previous Belgian Grand Prix during qualifying, can be saved. The British company had decided to replace the third unit with the second, purely as a precaution. At Spa, McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said:
"We inspected the car on Saturday night. It was immediately clear that the gearbox needed to be replaced, so we had to accept the penalty of five places on the grid. We also took a look at the power unit - it looks basically fine. There are still other checks that need to be done, so as a precaution we reverted to power unit number two for the race with the intention of reusing power unit three in future races".
On Thursday 2 September 2021, the organizers of the Miami Grand Prix, which will make its debut during the 2022 World Championship with a ten-year contract, reveal the name of the circuit where the race will take place. Located in the Hard Rock Stadium complex in Miami Gardens, in Florida, 5.410 m long, made up of 19 bends - 7 to the right and 12 to the left - with three potential DRS zones, an estimated maximum speed of 320 km/h, to be covered in counterclockwise, it will be called the Miami International Autodrome. Tom Garfinkel, Managing Partner of the F1 Miami Grand Prix, said:
"I'm happy to reveal that the official name of our circuit is the Miami International Autodrome. We've worked hard to create a circuit that has great racing and multiple passing opportunities. In addition, we are working to innovate fan experiences across the Hard Rock Stadium sports and entertainment campus in Miami Gardens; experiences that reflect how Miami has become an International curator of culture across food, art, fashion, music, and sports".
And the Miami Grand Prix CEO, Richard Cregan, adds:
"Already we are beyond 150.000 inquiries for tickets and hospitality, which is enormously encouraging when we have not yet announced the date of our inaugural Miami Grand Prix. Almost one third of those inquiries have been from corporate bookers looking to access the world class hospitality for which all events at the Hard Rock Stadium campus are renowned, and 25 per cent of all inquiries to date have come from overseas. As we roll out more of the detailed planning work that is being invested into the experience, and the levels of personalization on offer, we are sure that the Miami International Autodrome will be a focal point for fans from around the world".
For the Dutch Grand Prix, Pirelli, the sole supplier of the tyres, brings C1, C2 and C3 compound tyres, the hardest in the range available. In the opinion of the technicians of the Italian company, due to the very demanding curves, such as curve 3 (Hugenholtz) and curve 14 (Arie Luyenduk), which have a slope of about 19 degrees, and due to the lack of significant data to refer to, the harder compounds are the most suitable choice. Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director, declares:
"By announcing all the tires for 2021 now we will be helping the teams and riders with their plans for the season, while also allowing maximum flexibility should the calendar change due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The selection is very similar to the one made in 2020, or 2019 as regards the races that were not played last season. This means teams should have plenty of data to work with and to be prepared for. In two appointments, on the other hand, we made softer choices than last year. The first is Azerbaijan, where the C2 Hard was not last used. That's why we named C3, C4 and C5. Then we have Brazil, where we will bring C2, C3 and C4 considering that the C1s didn't bring great advantages compared to the averages. In both cases, the new choices should guarantee a great variety of competing strategies. The Dutch Grand Prix obviously represents an unprecedented challenge for us, but thanks also to the data provided by Formula 1 and the teams, we were able to establish a compound nomination and prescriptions in line with what should be the characteristics of this new exciting track. Being a new track, the free practice sessions will be essential to collect real data and formulate the tire strategy for the race. What is certain is that the layout of the circuit will subject the tires to demanding loads, as we have seen from the computer simulations we have carried out. We have already raced in Zandvoort in the GT World Challenge this year and this has given us some useful information".
On Wednesday 1 September 2021, the Finnish Alfa Romeo Racing driver, Kimi Räikkönen, announces his retirement at the end of the season. Räikkönen made his Formula 1 debut in 2001 driving the former Sauber team. From 2002 to 2006 he raced for McLaren, before moving to Ferrari from 2007 to 2009. After two years of absence, he drove for the former Lotus team from 2012 to 2013. He returned to Ferrari in 2014 with which he stayed until the championship 2018, before landing in the current stable. During his career, he contested 341 Grands Prix - an absolute record - winning 21 of them and conquering the World Championship for Drivers in the 2007 season with Scuderia Ferrari, as well as establishing, in 19 seasons - another record - 103 podiums, 18 pole positions and 46 fast laps.
"That's all. This will be my last season in Formula 1, this is a decision I made last winter. It wasn't an easy decision, but after this season it's time to do new things. Even though the season is still ongoing, I want to thank my family, all my teams, all the people involved in my career and especially all of you great fans who have been rooting for me all this time. Formula 1 may come to an end for me, but there is so much more to life that I want to experience and enjoy. We'll see you after all this! Sincerely, Kimi".
During the press conference on Thursday, when asked about his future, the Finnish driver will answer:
"The initial plan was to retire before the age of 30, it didn't work out. I still don't know what I'll do next, I have no plans. I've always had them in recent years, between Formula 1 and rallies. Now I don't want them. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to move on. I'm not in a hurry, I haven't thought about anything in particular for my future and I don't want to think about it. If I knew anything about my future now, I would announce it, but I have no plans right now. I want to enjoy my free time without a schedule other than being with my family, and I'm happy about it. Who knows, maybe I'll do some racing, maybe not. Really, I do not know".
Fernando Alonso, who was his teammate in Ferrari in 2014, when asked about Kimi Raikkonen's retirement says he doesn't know him well enough to make a judgement, but nonetheless expresses his personal thoughts on the driver with whom he duelled on the track For years:
"I don't know him enough to be able to express an opinion. We know that Kimi is a very particular and shy boy who doesn't form relationships with anyone. I was his partner at Ferrari in 2014 but, even then, we didn't have the opportunity to get to know each other any better than we do now, so I can't comment. In F1 there are always twenty drivers, sometimes we experience ups and downs and often we no longer feel part of the sport. There may be that as a reason for his decision, but in any case he has been the architect of a great career that he has enjoyed. I certainly wish him the best for his future. I will miss him as a competitor, he has been here for a long time and we have had intense battles, especially in the past when we had more competitive cars which allowed us to fight for the championship. He was always correct and respectful, but at the same time very tough, old school. In this aspect, I will miss Kimi a lot. You knew you could trust him in wheel-to-wheel fights, because you knew he wasn't going to do any borderline or dangerous manoeuvrers".
The attention of riders and team principals, however, remains focused on what happened in Belgium. The French Alpha Tauri driver, Pierre Gasly, comments on what happened at Spa, before dwelling on his expectations in view of the next Grand Prix which will be held at Zandvoort:
"It doesn't matter that F1 is the most technologically advanced sport in the world, the weather simply cannot be controlled. It was a big shame not to be able to race, especially for all those fans who waited so patiently. It wasn't good for us either, in a weekend that looked interesting with sixth place on the grid. I am convinced that, if I had had the opportunity, I would have had a good race. At least we don't have to wait much longer to be able to compete and we will try to transfer all the positive aspects of Spa here to the Netherlands. I had raced here in 2012 in Formula Renault 2.0, so quite some time ago. The circuit layout has changed a lot since then, and I trained on the simulator. I think the whole weekend will be special, first of all because it's the first GP that has been held here since Max has been there. It will be interesting, in some aspects like Monaco: the straights are short and the corners are tight, so it will be difficult overcome. This means that qualifying will be very important, and will play a particular role for us. Another aspect that should not be underestimated is the proximity to the sea, with sand that could be carried by the wind onto the track. In this sense, we may find a slippery asphalt on Friday, but the situation will evolve over the course of the weekend".
His teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, also comments on what happened in Belgium and talks about the possibility of renewing his contract with Scuderia AlphaTauri:
"In Japan it often happens to race in the wet, but in Belgium the visibility was really poor to be able to race. I had focused on my first race there, and moreover in an F1 car, but safety is the main factor. From what emerged in free practice, we seemed competitive in the middle of the pack; so, now we will go to Zandvoort to see what we can do. I've never raced there, in any category but since they changed the layout I think it will be a new experience for everyone, not just for rookies like me. It all feels unusual in the simulator, with a lot of banking pushing you to manage your speed on the next part of the track. I'm quite good at adapting quickly to a new track, but I'll have to concentrate to not make mistakes and learn as much as possible in free practice. Among other things, Zandvoort will be even weirder than usual, because the simulator fails to give you the sensations of what the track is really like. The renewal? I don't know, but there won't be [no news] this week, I think the chance [of staying] is 50/50. It goes up and down a bit, because it hasn't been a season of constant performance. I think that, to achieve this goal, I have to have more consistency and I have to grow, step by step. The performances I show are sometimes good, but then at times I'm really inconsistent. My expectations were too high. I thought F1 would be a little easier as soon as I lost the rhythm or didn't go well, for example at Imola, I started to get confused. So that's why I struggled. The moment I arrived in F1 was not the problem".
The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, briefly returns to the events that took place in Belgium, and mainly focuses on the rivalry between Mercedes and Red Bull:
"There is still a feeling of frustration at not being able to race in Belgium last weekend. We've never seen a situation like this, and the conditions were incredibly difficult out there, so it wasn't safe to race we lost points in both championships last weekend, but luckily we're back on track straight away to be able to redeem ourselves. The prospect of tackling a completely new track is always exciting. We can't wait to put the wheels on the track to understand our level compared to our competitors. It will be an exciting challenge".
Speaking about the growing rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, F1 director general Ross Brown said:
"Max's victory in Belgium came after two tough races for him. Every fight for the title has its ups and downs, but now I really hope that in the next ten races they can always finish in the points to be able to fight until the end. Among other things, Verstappen will enjoy the maximum support of the fans in the Netherlands this weekend. I have long wanted Zandvoort to return, with the organizers having done a great job to be able to host the event after all the changes to the track. We will certainly see an orange tide, as well as the support for Lewis that we saw at Silverstone. It's wonderful to see so much passion for our sport".
For Max Verstappen, the Dutch Grand Prix is his home race. Excited, the Dutch driver explains how special this event is for him:
"Spa was not a normal Grand Prix, we didn't want the weekend to go like this. But a win is a win and points are important for both championships: we have to maximize every opportunity. Naturally as drivers we all wanted to race and put on a show for the fans but it was clearly not an easy decision and the lack of visibility meant the race was not safe. Now let's turn the page and go to Zandvoort. It will be special to have a race in the Netherlands in front of my home crowd, but also as a driver it is quite a challenge to go to a new circuit and find the limit in an F1 car. It was amazing to see so many fans supporting us in Austria and Belgium and I hope we can put on a good show for everyone this weekend. As for the track, overtaking could be a bit difficult, but on the flying lap side I think it will be rewarding. The qualifying laps will be very fast and any mistake will be paid dearly. After the race was canceled last year, this year will be even more special and of course it would be great to win at another home circuit in front of the 'Dutch wall'. I only did one race at Zandvoort and it was in a Formula 3 car. At that time I was known as 'the son of' but now it will be the other way around! The track has obviously changed since then, some corners have been adapted. Already with the F3 car, the corners were really pleasant and fast: I'm excited to go back with a Formula 1, we will have even more grip".
On the eve of the Dutch Grand Prix, there is talk of the possibility of seeing George Russell in Mercedes, alongside World Champion Lewis Hamilton, starting from the 2022 season, forming an apparently unbeatable couple. The Dutch Red Bull Racing driver gives his opinion on this topic:
"If Russell goes to Mercedes he will make life very difficult for Hamilton. He drove the car in Bahrain last year and was a tough nut to crack for Bottas right from the first lap. It is to be expected that with more experience he will go even faster. It must be said, however, that when you do your first race in a team, the team guides you in the set-up, because initially you don't know where to put your hands. The same happened with me in Red Bull: I told the team to follow everything Ricciardo was doing because I had no idea how to make the car fast. Overall, I'm very confident about Russell's performance at Mercedes. He put in a great performance at Spa too: of course they built a wet set-up, but finishing second in a Williams was impressive. I expect him to do very well if he gets that seat".
When asked about it, George Russell, who currently races for Williams, declared that he is aware of the team he will compete for next year, without however revealing it to the press:
"Like I said, I'm not going to sit here and lie to you. Just before Spa, I was verbally informed where I will race in 2022. The truth is that I can't announce anything, but I am aware of my future. I signed the contract. As I said, I have enormous respect for him [Lewis Hamilton] and his achievements. I've seen him work incredibly hard with the engineers when I was at Mercedes as a junior driver: you don't just rely on his immense natural talent. He works on it, goes further, tries to find more speed. Any driver wants the opportunity to compete with the best and learn from them, and this would be an incredible opportunity. Lewis is the greatest of all time and it would be a huge chance for me to have him as a teammate".
We talk about the Zandvoort circuit, and Sergio Perez analyses the strengths of his car, considering the advantage of Mercedes on this circuit:
"I think we will be competitive, there will be many corners to go through at high or medium-high speed. It is in these points that we are strong. We expect them to be even more favoured in this respect, in addition to the fact that they have always had a very efficient car available in banked corners. They really seem to have more stability".
Fernando Alonso, who renewed his contract ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, arrives in Holland full of expectations:
"Zandvoort will be interesting for everyone with very few of us having raced at this circuit in the past in the propaedeutic categories, it will be a unique challenge and I'm sure the atmosphere will be exciting. We're not sure what our performance will be over the next weekend, but racing on a new circuit is not something out of the ordinary in Formula 1, especially in recent times when the calendar has often presented new features. We have analysed a lot of data and I have been busy in the simulator at Enstone this week, so I feel prepared as much as possible".
His teammate, Esteban Ocon, who raced at the Dutch track in the DTM, has his opinion on the Zandvoort circuit:
"Zandvoort is a really beautiful circuit and I have enjoyed racing there in the past. I raced there in the DTM in 2016 and it's a demanding track with a very fast pace. Corners come quite quickly and getting back behind the wheel is quite challenging. The two banking corners are great fun, so tackling them in a Formula 1 car is something I'm really looking forward to. Overtaking could be difficult, but until we have a race weekend we won't be able to comment on it. Our goal remains the same. We want to maintain our series of points finishes to consolidate fifth place in the championship".
After a disappointing weekend in Belgium, Lando Norris hopes he can get more satisfaction in Holland:
"After a disappointing weekend in Belgium I am now looking forward to getting back on track this weekend, hoping to be able to give the fans more entertainment. Zandvoort is a distinctive circuit and the only time I've raced there in the past, and won, was in 2017 in Formula 3. The track has changed since then, with new banking that could affect the development of the race. I returned to the UK this week to train on the simulator, so we are ready to tackle the track once we hit the track on Friday".
While Daniel Ricciardo's attention is focused on confirming the positive momentum after the fourth place obtained in qualifying in Belgium:
"Last weekend wasn't the best way to celebrate my 200th GP and it was a real shame that the fans couldn't see a proper race. Fortunately this doesn't happen often in F1. Already this weekend we will be ready to get back on track immediately in Zandvoort. It's been a long time since I last raced here and today I'm galvanized at the mere idea of going back. Viewers are also very enthusiastic. I really feel the warm support of the Dutch public. We'll take what we did in qualifying in Belgium to be able to concentrate and score points".
Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, analyses the circuit and expresses his opinion on Kimi Räikkönen's retirement:
"I can't wait to race here. I know this track, apart from the points affected by the latest changes. Either way, it should be an exciting weekend, especially in qualifying. You can't make mistakes, Zandvoort doesn't forgive and makes you pay dearly. This is one of my favourite circuits for sure. I did a few laps on the simulator, trying to figure out the best way to interpret Turn 3 and Turn 14, but I don't think we have any answers on how we will perform here. It also depends on the performance of the others, we have to wait and see. It will be about learning this track as quickly as possible and understanding which are the best lines for turn 3, where we will see different interpretations from the riders. It was sad to find that Kimi will no longer be in the paddock. It's obviously part of the history of Formula 1: all the drivers come and go, few leave a mark and Kimi is certainly one of them. He will forever remain a legend of the sport, both on and off the track, his personality has always been special".
His teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr, talks about the work done on the simulator and the importance of this test in view of the next Grand Prix:
"My birthday? They gave me a nice surprise at the Ferrari factory, it was special. This time I did a few more laps on the simulator, just to get used to this rather treacherous and special track. It feels quite different from all the other places we normally go, so it will be quite a challenge".
Haas team principal Gunther Stainer says he has high expectations for the Dutch Grand Prix:
"I think Zandvoort is a great track to race at. For a few years we will be back, they have made updates to the layout. Bringing new events like Jeddah or Miami or revamped tracks like the Dutch one is great because you see something new, experience new countries and some new tracks. Seeing the passion of the fans again is all a driver could wish for, certainly Verstappen's fans were fantastic at Spa and will be equally fantastic at Zandvoort. There will be an incredible orange sea. But in addition to the stands there is of course the track: I haven't been to Zandvoort for a while, I know they've changed the area of the big corners. Now that's a pretty short circuit. I have no expectations but I'm sure it will be fine. They have done a lot of work - one year longer than expected due to the pandemic - and I'm sure it will be a great event".
Mick Schumacher, however, underlines how the ignition of smoke bombs is harmful, not only for reasons of visibility:
"I hope there aren't so many smoke bombs, because in Spa everything came in the car. They also have a rather bad smell and it remains in the passenger compartment all the time. So guys, please use them minimally".
As for the sportsmanship of Orange fans, and the risk that they may boo or insulate Lewis Hamilton, former World Champion Damon Hill expresses his personal message received by the Dutch people who will be present in Zandvoort:
"Dutch fans, be nice to Lewis, okay? because he's doing what he's good at, and it's going to be fun. It will be nice. We have a lot of listeners in Holland who hear us. They are good sportsmen, the Dutch. It will be great to have a Dutch Grand Prix, the first ever Dutch Grand Prix for many years".
Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton's former teammate, also talks about the rivalry between the two title contenders, but above all about the boos that could be directed against the British driver:
"The fans will be against Lewis and I expect many boos, even if it's not good for the sport. In any case, we already know that it will happen. Once I saw a four-year-old girl, together with her father, shouting and insulting me. It wasn't cool. This year's battle is phenomenal to watch. Lewis is one of the best drivers of all time, while Max has what it takes to become one. In my view, he's still in the top ten all the time. I just hope they don't make contact yet, but I'm sure it will happen again, sooner or later. Verstappen has always been a very aggressive driver, while Hamilton recently said he will defend himself at all costs. It's impossible to say who will win this year: it's a fight that will last until the last race".
Even the CEO of Liberty Media, Stefano Domenicali, is aware that the reception of Dutch fans towards the Mercedes driver may not be positive. And in this regard he says:
"It's always easy to tell who's to blame, but I'm not a referee. In my position, the priority was making sure Max was okay. I spoke to both of them after the race to make sure they continued the challenge at the right level. I know them very well, but due to my sense of responsibility, my experience and my relationship with them, it was natural for me to act in this way. I'm not a teacher and I know they are the best riders, but I had to talk about them. After the accident, both of them understood that they will be fighting for the championship until the end of a season that will be intense, not only technically, but also mentally. It's natural that neither of us wants to give up an inch, and this kind of approach is great for those of us who love Formula 1. I don't think there will be too aggressive an attitude towards him but in any case they will have an effect opposite on Lewis: the more he feels the pressure, the more he expresses the best of himself. Of course I would like to see a different cheering rally, but the booing is part of the challenge between these two drivers. Rather I am honoured that they are giving us this gift by battling for the title. My dream would be to attend the decisive race in Abu Dhabi".
On the eve of the Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton says, regarding the possibility of receiving insults and boos during the weekend:
"Whistle at me. Booing is part of the sport, Dutch cheering is very passionate. I like coming to Holland, Amsterdam is one of the best cities in the world. And I also have fans here, even if they probably won't be many, in fact they will be a minority in the grandstands! I can therefore expect boos, even if I would never go to an event to challenge someone. In general I think British fans don't boo, they just enjoy the event - I don't think I've ever heard them boo. If you watch a football match you understand how normal this thing is: fans are passionate and they can dislike someone, I wouldn't do it but I respect it, this is sport. Let them whistle as well, I'll try to transform this negative energy into a positive one, so that it can give me advantages when driving".
Even Max Verstappen decides to express his opinion on the question of whistles, trying to send a positive message to his compatriots:
"When you go away to a football match, the guests are challenged, it is not up to the local supporter or the home club to say: Guys, don't boo them. It is natural that this is the case. I don't think it's up to me to tell my fans not to boo Hamilton: I'm not them, I have to concentrate on what I'm doing on the track. I'm pretty sure most of them are here for a big weekend. Of course some of them will boo, but I can't decide for them. And even if I ask not to boo Hamilton, do you really think they'll listen to me? Booing Lewis certainly wouldn't give me extra motivation, it would be ugly and sad. What I expect for the weekend is that everyone is enjoying themselves and enjoying seeing the cars on track fighting for the best possible result. The public will be great to see. Unfortunately the authorities have not allowed full capacity, but the visual impact will still be impressive".
Before the start of the first free practice session on Friday, the third units relating to the internal combustion engine, turbocharger and MGU-H are installed on the cars of Kimi Räikkönen, Antonio Giovinazzi, Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher. The exhaust systems were replaced on the cars of the two Haas drivers, mounting the fifth unit. The fourth unit was installed on the cars of Lando Norris and Sebastian Vettel, while the sixth unit was installed on the car of Carlos Sainz Jr.. The pilots will not be subject to penalties, as all the new components installed are among those that can be replaced within the pre-established maximum number. On Friday 3 September 2021, surprisingly, Lewis Hamilton is the fastest driver at the end of FP1, closely followed by Max Verstappen. And again surprisingly, the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. are third and fourth, just over a tenth of a second behind the British driver's time. The first practice session was interrupted a few minutes after the start due to the need to secure Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin, who was forced to stop his single-seater at the pit exit due to an MGU-K failure. A few moments later there was a fire on the car, which required the intervention of the marshals, so much so that the red flag had to be displayed which interrupted the practice. The commissioners were unable to intervene immediately due to the risk of a power failure. The session was then reopened for the remaining five minutes, used by the drivers to try to make a quick lap on soft tyres. In this phase, with a lot of traffic on the track, a dangerous situation arises when Esteban Ocon risks being rear-ended by Lando Norris. Yuki Tsunoda fails to complete even one lap, as he stops on the track due to a spin. At the end of the first free practice session on Friday, Lando Norris and Esteban Ocon were summoned by the stewards as the French driver hindered the British one, who was preparing to set a fast lap. Ocon gets a warning. At the end of FP1 the Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, preaches calm despite the fact that Lewis Hamilton's car has already proved to be competitive:
"I don't think anyone even came close to their potential in such a confusing session. We'll have to wait until the afternoon to get more precise references. Personally I love racing at Zandvoort, I remember well when Bottas won the F3 Masters twice. The audience is incredible".
The Ferraris, already competitive in the morning session, are at the top of the timesheets in the afternoon session. Charles Leclerc precedes Carlos Sainz Jr. by just over 0.15 seconds. Lewis Hamilton does just a few laps before stopping due to a power unit problem. Also in this case the commissioners suspend the session, even if only for a few minutes. Esteban Ocon, at the helm of the Alpine, records the third time. Max Verstappen clocks only the fifth fastest time, but what impresses is the race pace of Red Bull Racing. In reality, during practice, the Dutchman was engaged in a fast run, but was stopped by the exposure of the second red flag of the session, due to Nikita Mazepin going off the track. At the end of the second free practice session on Friday in the cars of Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz Jr., Kimi Räikkönen, Antonio Giovinazzi, George Russell, Nicholas Latifi and Lando Norris, the broadcasts.
No driver, including Norris who had to replace the previous transmission mounted before the dispute of six races in a row, will suffer a penalty. No one has the illusion of seeing a Ferrari fighting for victory in the Dutch Grand Prix, however the test results indicate that the Maranello team has a chance of overtaking McLaren in the Constructors' World Championship standings. So much so that Charles Leclerc says that there is even room for improvement:
"I think there is still room for improvement, but for the moment we are satisfied. Obviously we must not delude ourselves, because it is only Friday. I have the feeling that our opponents still have potential to show. I really enjoyed myself here on the track in Zandvoort today, the banked ones give off very particular sensations the first time you push past them, but overall the whole track is pleasant to drive. As for the race, I don't think there will be a lot of overtaking and so it will be very important to secure a good position on the grid. The race pace isn't as good as our flying lap and that's where we'll have to focus the most".
Carlos Sainz also expresses a positive opinion on Ferrari's performance:
"The track is very beautiful and completely different from those we are used to. It was fun to try different trajectories during the first free practice session, especially on the steep corners, before pushing a little harder in the afternoon. I really enjoyed it today, and having the fans so close to the track is really great. Talking about us, I immediately felt comfortable with the balance of the car and the performance. We had good performances on the Softs, while other competitive cars were penalized by the flags and maybe that's why we are so high up in the standings. We certainly still have room for improvement, but it was a positive Friday in which I really liked the SF21".
While the racing director, Laurent Mekies, anticipates to the press the strategy that the Scuderia Ferrari will adopt in the race:
"In this race we are more focused on qualifying, we spent a lot of time today setting up the car for qualifying. I think that tomorrow, after FP3, everyone will go down this path because it will be difficult to overtake on Sunday. However, the track is completely new and the car still needs to be set up for the race. We expect all the teams to make a lot of progress from today to tomorrow, today is only Friday. Tomorrow we expect to find the three fastest riders up front. The track resembles Budapest in characteristics and is far from Spa, so it highlights our strengths more. From that point of view it allows us to go back to fighting with the leaders of the mid-group. Precisely because we shot so little we expect many improvements from everyone. It is important for us to find our level of competitiveness. In Spa it was complicated. We take one race at a time. We learn and move forward".
Despite the failure of the power unit, Lewis Hamilton remains confident:
"We lost power and they told me to stop. It's not the end of the world. It was wonderful to see all this crowd, there is great energy that comes from the stands. This morning I was only able to shoot 20 minutes, this afternoon ten. This forces me to chase, but Valtteri looked very competitive. I'll have to recover tomorrow. The sensations were good, but I lapped too little to understand if we were following the right path. Luckily Valtteri had a clean session, without any problems".
While his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, expresses a favorable judgment on the Zandvoort circuit:
"I hope the crowd gets to see the track well, because in the car it's a lot of fun to deal with. I enjoyed it. It's a track that has great pace and today we saw that the margin between the teams is tight. We still have to test the car at low fuel loads, we focused on long runs to collect valuable data on tire consumption and overheating".
Max Verstappen also says driving in Zandvoort is great fun:
"The track is really fun and it's great to drive in front of this splendid crowd. In the qualifying simulation I was a bit unlucky with the red flags and I wasn't able to take full advantage of the soft tyres. In the long run we were competitive. We are not completely satisfied with the performance over the single lap and we know that the starting position will be fundamental here, so we will analyze in detail how to improve in view of Qualifying".
While Helmut Marko talks about the strengths of the Red Bulls, which could be seen in these first two practice sessions:
"We are between two and four tenths faster than the others on the long run and Perez is also doing well in this sense".
As for the climate of great support and support for the Dutch rider, the Austrian manager says:
"Look at what's happening in the city and in the stands, the fans are expecting pole position from Max. Any other result would be disappointing for them. Max is under pressure".
Instead, it was an anonymous day for Sergio Perez:
"To push hard on a track like this you have to have the utmost confidence in the car and at the moment I'm not in that position. We need to work hard on the set-up and balance in view of tomorrow. We have to make the right decisions to express our full potential. In any case, it is a great incentive to race in front of such a warm crowd. The track is quite unique, with a section that has a lot of consecutive right-hand corners, a point that puts both physical and technical pressure on the driving. It's really nice to drive here, but I need a little more confidence".
Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin, as well as Lewis Hamilton's car, also experienced problems with the Mercedes power unit during the first practice session. In this regard, the German pilot says:
"Both Lance Stroll and I were unable to complete our fastest lap, but I think we should be good tomorrow. We still have some parts that we can improve on the car, I'm not 100% happy yet from a driving point of view, tomorrow we should be able to take a step forward. I think overall it was a good afternoon. We had a little bit to catch up on and I had to pick up the pace quickly, but it helped that I was here many years ago. They haven't changed the track too much, that's good news".
George Russell, at the helm of the Williams, concluded the tests positioning himself behind his teammate, Nicholas Latifi. However, the British driver is not worried about his car's poor performance:
"It has been a great experience to drive at this circuit, I think it is a favorite for a driver. It has a lot of undulations, and all the curves are sensational. It's fast, it's smooth and you can't afford to put a wheel off the track; those are all things we would want in a track. In any case it wasn't easy, also because it was a day constantly interrupted by red flags. We couldn't collect much from today, and unfortunately the pace isn't as good as we'd hoped. However, we could increase it with some tweaks over the course of the night. Traffic will also be difficult to manage given the short lap. It will be the key to having a clear road tomorrow, particularly in Q1".
Nicholas Latifi, on the other hand, says:
"Today was a real challenge, it's a tight and twisty track with few straights. With twenty cars on the track it will be difficult to create a space. I spent a lot of time looking in the mirrors, and it could be a problem organizing a fast lap. In any case it is a very fun track to tackle. It represents an old-school style that punishes you for the slightest mistake".
Fernando Alonso expresses some concern ahead of the race:
"It was a challenging Friday for us, but the same can be said for everyone due to small crashes and various suspensions of practice throughout the day. Now we will have to analyze everything to make sure we are in the best conditions for tomorrow. I don't think it will be an easy weekend, and the traffic in qualifying will be difficult to manage. At the same time, I like the track. In some places it is very different and the dishes are fun. The atmosphere is also crazy. We'll see what happens tomorrow".
His teammate, Esteban Ocon, analyses and comments on the sensations of this first day on the track:
"It was a fun Friday and it was great learning about this circuit behind the wheel of an F1. I noticed a lot of grip, as many G-forces and various undulations, but above all it was a lot of fun to tackle the banked corners. As a team it was a positive day in which we proved to be competitive, even if qualifying will count. During FP1 I almost came into contact with Norris. At that moment I wanted to hold my position and closed, but luckily nothing happened and we moved on. The car performed very well today and I'm sure we can improve further. However it is a very tight circuit. Managing the traffic in qualifying will be a real challenge".
It was a complicated Friday for Lando Norris and McLaren, despite the British driver finding a good feeling with his car:
"The first day was difficult because of the traffic and it wasn't easy to complete so many laps with red flags and all the interruptions. We started with a good feeling with the car and didn't go too badly, but we have a bit of work to do to be able to consistently put in some good laps in qualifying, which I'm sure we can do. Overall it was a decent day, but there is work to be done during the night".
Daniel Ricciardo, on the other hand, encountered some problems during the second practice session:
"This morning I was relatively comfortable while this afternoon it wasn't. We tried a few things on the car which, in retrospect, I don't think went in the right direction, but that's what free practice is for. We will go back and learn our lesson. I think we will still be in good shape tomorrow, today we were just a bit off the pace in FP2. There are several fast cars out there so we have our work to do, but it's a fun track and I really like it".
Kimi Raikkonen analyses the characteristics of the Zandvoot circuit:
"Today we did a good job despite all the stoppages and red flags. It's a different circuit to the ones we usually drive on, but it's beautiful. It's not easy to achieve a fast lap, but tackling a new track is an excellent challenge, and the public makes the atmosphere more electrifying. Like every Friday we still have to improve in various aspects; it's normal, and we'll take a step forward in view of qualifying. The goal always remains the same: access Q2. We'll see what happens tomorrow".
While his teammate, Antonio Giovinazzi, talks about the performance of his car:
"It was a good Friday; the circuit is very nice to drive, especially with these cars. From the moment we arrived it felt like a party, and thanks to the Dutch fans and their welcome. The circuit is therefore fun, but it is not easy to put everything together: in any case we did a good job and we are satisfied with what we achieved, both in terms of flying lap and race pace. Tomorrow will certainly be another day, but we'll start with good foundations: we hope to be able to achieve a good qualifying, also because overtaking here won't be easy, and Saturday will therefore be crucial. We will give our best".
The French AlphaTauri driver, Pierre Gasly, is happy but points out that the focus is above all on qualifying:
"I have to say that today was really fun, this is an incredible track, definitely unique, especially turn 3: it's like sliding on a toboggan, with banking. There were several red flag interruptions, but we still managed to complete a large part of our program today. We didn't go as well as we would have liked, but tonight we will work hard to put out a little more performance for tomorrow. I am convinced that we can do it. I think the traffic in Q1 could be a problem so I have to try and stay out of trouble. Looking at the race, overtaking will be very difficult, so the priority is to get a good starting position".
Teammate, Yuki Tsunoda adds:
"This morning we were testing some aerodynamic components, but there was a small problem with the PU that we had to analyse and that prevented us from getting back on track. I spent the rest of the session watching a lot of on-board videos from the other riders, to try and learn as much as possible before getting back into action in the afternoon. In FP2 I completed my first fast lap: I tried not to force it at the start, because there aren't many escape routes on this track. In the end, I was happy with my ride. Clearly, we will have to work more tonight, but I was comfortable in the car and it was important for the team to have this data, in order to prepare for qualifying. I think qualifying will be crucial, as overtaking in the race will be really tough. I hope to put it all together in the moment that really matters tomorrow".
The Haas team doesn't have high expectations for this race. Nonetheless, Nikita Mazepin talks about the evolution of knowledge of the circuit and of his car:
"It's much more fun than I thought, the first time I tackled the parabolic curve before the finish line I felt a different sensation inside me, it was special. Overall it was a challenge today. I was very happy with the car in FP1, then we made some changes which didn't lead to the expected improvements, despite the development of the track. We learned a lot and now we're aiming for FP3".
Mick Schumacher is also enthusiastic about the results obtained in testing:
"I think the term 'roller coaster' fits the bill; it was a good day, although we still have a lot to learn from this track, but I'm sure it will be the same for everyone. I still think we'll have to make some adjustments to accommodate at our best at this track, but we're on the right track. We still have a bit of margin and I'm sure we'll find it. Things could change in view of tomorrow, but as far as today is concerned, we can be happy".
At the end of practice, Max Verstappen went to the marshals to discuss his maneuver during FP2. The Red Bull driver overtook Lance Stroll during the red flag. After listening to the Dutchman's motivations, the decision of the college of Commissioners does not penalize the Red Bull driver.
"The Stewards listened to the driver and team representatives, as well as analyzed track position data, telemetry data, team radio data and internal and external video footage. The race management system indicated that the red flag and red lights were displayed at 15:10:12. When Verstappen passed light panel number 14 (preceding the overtaking point) it was not lit. When Verstappen approached Stroll, a few meters away, the red light on the steering wheel was activated. At this point Verstappen's speed was 260 km/h, while Stroll's was 110, with a difference between the two of 150 km/h. At this point, as telemetry shows, Verstappen immediately lifted his foot and braked. Due to the speed difference, Verstappen overtook Stroll. Simultaneously light panel 15, which turned red, was visible to Verstappen. At approximately 15:10:17, the team radioed the driver: Red flag. Our conclusion is that the driver did everything reasonably possible to comply with the regulations, immediately reducing his speed safely at the first indication of a red flag, even before actually seeing the red flag or red light panels. This satisfies regulatory requirements".
Before the start of the third free practice session, which takes place on the morning of Saturday 4 September 2021, Kimi Räikkönen was forced to miss the rest of the Grand Prix due to being positive for COVID-19. The Finnish Alfa Romeo Racing driver will be replaced by Robert Kubica. Williams Racing team principal Jost Capito was also placed in solitary confinement after coming into close contact with the Finnish driver.
"Following Kimi Räikkönen's positivity announced this morning, Williams can confirm that Jost Capito will not enter the F1 paddock for the remainder of the Dutch Grand Prix. Jost met Kimi yesterday but in a socially distanced way. Although he has not been in close contact and although he tested negative at the last swab, Jost and Williams have decided not to attend Zandvoort, as a precautionary measure in order not to fuel any type of risk for the team".
On Yuki Tsunoda's car the turbocharger and the MGU-H were replaced, in both cases the third unit was mounted. The exhaust systems were replaced on the cars of Sergio Pérez and Pierre Gasly, where the sixth units were fitted, as was the car of Fernando Alonso, where the seventh unit was installed. None of them receive any kind of penalty. During FP3 Max Verstappen records the best performance, lapping in 1'09"623: the Dutch driver is over 0.5 seconds faster than Valtteri Bottas, and almost 0.8 seconds faster than Lewis Hamilton. The Dutch Red Bull driver Racing is the only one to fall below the limit of 1'10"0. This is because Lewis Hamilton prefers to gain more confidence with the track, lapping long and with a greater fuel load in the tank. Carlos Sainz Jr. goes off the track at the bend 3 (Hugenholtz), crashing violently into the barriers.
His Ferrari is damaged and this will require an effort from the mechanics to give the Spanish driver a chance to get on track for qualifying. The accident forces the marshals to suspend the session , for the fifth time in total during the three free practice sessions. The session was characterized by gusts of wind, which made the drivers' driving unstable. At the start of Q1, Sergio Pérez set an indicative first time, lapping in 1 '10”700. But a few moments later Max Verstappen lowered the limit set by his teammate, lapping in 1'10"036. Lewis Hamilton slipped between the two Red Bull Racing drivers, and shortly after Pierre Gasly set the third fastest time, followed by Charles Leclerc and Valtteri Bottas. The two Mercedes drivers are the only ones to opt for the use of Medium tyres. Valtteri Bottas, at the end of his second attempt, records the third time. Nicholas Latifi sets the ninth best time, momentarily positioning himself in the time standings ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, before Carlos Sainz Jr. placed himself in front of the Canadian driver. Lando Norris, Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo on the other hand, are further behind, and risk elimination. Sebastian Vettel is also behind, but manages to score the fifth fastest time, before George Russell manages to set a better time. The short track keeps the gaps contained. The first of the provisionally excluded is Lance Stroll, only 0.7 seconds away from the best time. Shortly after, Charles Leclerc recorded the best time, lapping in 1'09"829 while Daniel Ricciardo set the sixth fastest time. Antonio Giovinazzi, who seems very competitive on this track, is momentarily in fourth position. Sainz Jr. also improves and moves up to second place.Ocon, on the other hand, is sixth while Latifi records, with his Williams, the fifth fastest time.Towards the end of Q1 Sebastian Vettel, engaged in a fast lap, suddenly finds himself in front of the two Haas, and risks At the last attempt Lando Norris manages to overtake Sergio Pérez, first of the excluded, who has a time just 0.701 seconds faster than that of Charles Leclerc.In addition to the Mexican Red Bull Racing driver, Sebastian Vettel, Robert Kubica, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.In Q2 Nicholas Latifi set the reference time with a lap of 1'11"161. The reference time set by the Canadian, being quite high, is easily improved by Max Verstappen, who laps in 1'09"071. All the drivers are on Soft tyres. Lewis Hamilton is momentarily positioned in second position, given that he is almost immediately overtaken from George Russell.
Valtteri Bottas and Antonio Giovinazzi follow. Lance Stroll sets the sixth fastest time, but shortly after Charles Leclerc records the second best time. Carlos Sainz Jr., however, is behind the two Mercedes drivers. Who does better than the Spaniard it is Pierre Gasly, who sets the third fastest time.Shortly afterwards the two Alpine drivers, Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso, enter the top-ten, as does Daniel Ricciardo.George Russell, however, improves his performance in the first two sectors , but went off the track in the third, his Williams hit the guards and the race direction suspended the session with a red flag, with just under four minutes left in Q2. The session resumed, only to be interrupted again, and definitively, due to an accident involving Nicholas Latifi, who went off at turn 8 (Master). George Russell, Lance Stroll, Lando Norris, Nicholas Latifi and Yuki Tsunoda do not enter the decisive phase. Given the need to reposition the barriers, the qualifying session resumed only at 4:07 p.m.. In Q3 Daniel Ricciardo set the reference time, lapping in 1'10"524, but once again Max Verstappen improved and lowered his time lapping in 1'08"923. Valtteri Bottas follows the Dutch driver, although remaining 0.3 seconds behind. The Finn is momentarily ahead of his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. Followed by the two Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr, but shortly after Pierre Gasly manages to score the fourth fastest time. Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. improve their times, after making the second attempt, but do not change their positions. Max Verstappen makes a second attempt lapping in 1'08"885, without even the aid of the DRS on the main straight; Lewis Hamilton also improves his performance, but remains 0.038 seconds behind the Dutchman. Thus, Max Verstappen took his tenth pole position in his career. For the first time, a home driver takes pole position in the Dutch Grand Prix. At the end of qualifying Sebastian Vettel, Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher are summoned by the stewards as the two Haas drivers hindered the Aston Martin driver by driving too slowly during Q1. However, after listening to the pilots, the stewards decide not to take action against the two Haas pilots. Despite the exceptional pole position conquered forcefully at the end of qualifying, Max Verstappen does not expect an easy race:
"Fantastic feeling to take pole here today. This audience is incredible. Do you hear them? Today was very pleasant. The car was very nice to drive. The track is amazing. When you find the right feeling it's really cool. Competition? The location is the best. We know overtaking is difficult, but I don't expect an easy race. There are a lot of laps and the tires struggle at high speeds. Today went well, we hope to complete the work tomorrow. There were two occasions where I lost some time, first with a double shift I made out of turn 3, where the asphalt is very uneven. Then my DRS didn't open coming out of the last corner. This is something we need to check, but luckily the lap was enough for pole. Naturally on this track it's important to start from the front because overtaking is very difficult. The start will be key, then we need to take care of our tires and stay alert, because new tracks can often bring chaos. I expect Mercedes to be strong, you could see the gap was tight today, so tomorrow it won't be as simple as it looks. It's an old-school track that's as smooth and fast as Suzuka where you really feel the grip of a Formula 1 car. It's challenging and I like tracks like this. Today we worked really well as a team. We made another good step forward with the car compared to yesterday. Qualifying was quite difficult with so many red flags, you see there was no room for error. That makes it all the more exciting".
Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner is impressed by the calm shown by the Dutch driver:
"We noticed a loss of speed on the straight at the final straight almost as if the DRS hadn't opened properly. In this way, he lost a tenth and a half. Despite all this pressure, he managed to put in a fantastic performance. He doesn't seem to warn her in the slightest, before getting into the single-seater he was serene and was watching the DTM race. The atmosphere was fantastic all weekend, but he managed to manage everything in an incredible way, always remaining calm. This is a track where overtaking is difficult, so we have already done most of the work. Max was amazing in the second and third sectors, but now we have to concentrate for the race. Our goal remains to beat Lewis".
Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko adds:
"Max's T3 wasn't ideal, in fact he could have had a gap of two or three tenths. But it still went well. A good start should be enough to take the win. What I have seen is truly unparalleled. I don't remember ever having such an atmosphere in Formula 1. I'm happy for the fans that Max was able to live up to their expectations. And they also behaved very correctly with Hamilton. Hats off then for the track. Now of course everyone wants to see a win. Max approached qualifying in a very calm and professional manner".
Nevertheless, Max Verstappen's father Jos asks the audience not to boo Lewis Hamilton:
"I hope the crowd reacts better to the battle and doesn't boo Lewis. Max will understand by himself how to face his opponent".
Sergio Perez will start from the pit lane. In fact, the Mexican was eliminated in Q1 and the Red Bull team decides to use new components, thus limiting the penalty:
"We probably misjudged a couple of things today. Overall it's really a shame. We had an excellent car for these qualifying sessions. We were in the front positions, we could have had both cars in front. It's a real shame, we also had a lot of bad luck at the end. There were many riders who were going too slowly and I wasn't able to do the second lap. It was difficult to find the rhythm, but we had a lot of pace and potential. Unfortunately we were unable to express ourselves".
A Honda spokesperson adds to the matter of using a new power unit:
"Considering Sergio's grid position, together with the team we decided to take the opportunity to fit new components to the power unit on his car. As some of these components are of different specifications, he will start from the pit lane".
speaking of both Perez's and Gasly's performances, Christian Horner says:
"We could have made him take to the track earlier and instead he rejoined at a time when many riders were returning to the pit lane, wasting precious time. In any case, Sergio was not comfortable with the circuit, and now we will be forced to fight from the rear. Super and amazing performance from him [Gasly], I'm delighted for him and the team. At least we'll have another Red Bull driver up front".
In fact, the French AlphaTauri driver will start fourth, ahead of the two Ferraris.
"Being ahead of the Ferraris in the race? If we have a good start yes, if things happen we will try to capitalize. Why don't they call me back at Red Bull? There have been some discussions, I think they are really happy with my performance, but that's not all in the decision. They made their decision and obviously it was a small disappointment for me, because what I want is to have a fast car. I'm not saying that in AlphaTauri they don't give me a strong car, but it was up to them [Red Bull]. Sadly, it hasn't happened, but that doesn't mean it can't happen in the future".
Lewis Hamilton will start from second position on the grid. Despite the technical problem that penalized Max Verstappen, the Briton was unable to take pole position:
"I came very close to the end. I want to thank the Dutch fans, the orange ones. The circuit is fantastic, the track is beautiful. I love coming to this country and I like the welcome, because they are big fans of the sport, big fans. Max had a great lap but I came very close. Tried to take it in all sessions, all interruptions made life difficult for us. I gave everything, but he did a fantastic lap and deserves pole. Tomorrow will be tough. Here it is difficult to overcome. But it's a wonderful place to run. Strategy will be important. We haven't seen an audience like this in a long time. I hope that tomorrow the track can help us create a good race. I have never ridden with a full load of petrol here, I don't know how the car will handle. I came so close, I gave absolutely everything, but Max did a fantastic job and deserved the pole position. I was trying to recover, after missing most of yesterday's session, so that made the day a bit more difficult. However, the car ran. This track is amazing. Thanks to the Dutch fans, I love coming to this country and I really appreciate the welcome I've received. We haven't seen a crowd like this in quite some time; therefore, we hope to provide a good show for them tomorrow. It will be difficult because it is a demanding track for overtaking, but strategy will play an important role. We have two cars in front so we will both give our best. In terms of race pace on Friday, Red Bull seemed faster than us. The first rounds will be chaotic. The departure will be fun".
Valtteri Bottas will start in third position:
"The track is pleasant, the atmosphere special and really a lot of fun. The car gave good sensations. We lacked something in the first sector, in turns 2-3, compared to Red Bull. They were out of our league today, but we had two cars in the top-three so it's all in the game. Tomorrow? Overtaking is difficult, but in the race there are always opportunities. And strategy will play an important role. On this circuit it is particularly difficult to overtake, but I think tomorrow will still be an exciting race. Overall it's a fun track, and it's all made more distinctive by the warmth of the crowd. As for the car, I feel it very well, compared to Red Bull we are a bit lacking in the first sector especially in the second and third corners. Either way, we'll play it".
The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, speaking of the possibility for Valtteri Bottas not to hinder his teammate in the first corner, clearly says that team orders will not be given:
"No, we won't discuss any strategy for Turn 1 or Turn 2. The riders will talk to their respective engineers about the different possibilities, but we certainly don't need to tell them how to ride or what we're playing with, because they know better than us. So we won't deal with that. Max will have to make a decision choosing whether to go with the one or two pit-stop strategy. I think we can play both strategies tomorrow. Two cars can choose different strategies and finish first and second. I think we have to be happy with where we are. Lewis lost a lot of time yesterday, effectively doing only one lap. Being second and third is a good starting point I think Lewis has surpassed the level of the car. He made a big round. If something were to happen tomorrow, even if it weren't our fault, all the orange people would catch fire. I hope we will have a good race. The fans were very fair, there was no booing. [Bottas] He has won several victories in the most important races in the minor categories. He was particularly successful in the Formula 3 Masters on two occasions, which was sort of an unofficial Formula 3. He is having a very solid weekend. I think that the two protagonists of the championship will start side by side more and more often during the season, and we mustn't think that between the two it will necessarily end in an accident. They are both among the best riders on the track and know the importance of every single victory. They will confront each other harshly, but fairly. We should stop constantly referring to what happened at Silverstone, because we will probably see them starting side-by-side at least five more times this season. We don't need to tell Hamilton how to drive, or what's at stake, because he knows better than us".
The Maranello team managed to fix Carlos Sainz Jr.'s car within the time frame set for qualifying after the accident involving the Spaniard in turn 3 during free practice. And Sainz managed to qualify in sixth position:
"I don't know how they did it honestly. The car still hadn't arrived 20-25 minutes after the session. There was an hour and 35 left to go out. I don't know how they managed to fix it and allow me to go out in Q1 by making two attempts, which allowed me to regain my confidence. Entering the track on time in Q1 to gain confidence with the car and the asphalt conditions in order to overcome that gap was the key to Saturday afternoon. The mechanics were really extraordinary, watching them work was a great show".
His teammate, Charles Leclerc, will start from fifth position. The Monegasque, not happy with the third row, hopes to be the star of a good start in the race:
"The second row was possible, yes. I asked for too much wing in the last attempt of Q3. In the first one I felt a bit of understeer, but I had to go with the understeer in the last run, because we lost the rear a bit, especially in turn 10. I lost the rear a lot there and this cost us cents for the fourth place. It's a shame, but tomorrow with a good start, we can play against those in front. For us the start will be very important, I hope to do something similar to my brother Arthur [winner in F3] Every start is different and we will try to exploit it. Banks are interesting, they are lines that we don't see anywhere else. In all free practice we tried different lines to see which was the best and in the end we found it for qualifying. Tomorrow we will also see different ones. Fans for Max? They really create a nice environment, in Monza we hope to see a slightly darker orange, it's always great to have the support of the fans also because it won't be an easy weekend for us. I think overtaking will be really difficult. First of all, we need a really good start, to gain two positions at the start. From where we start, I think that should be the goal".
Scuderia Ferrari sporting director, Laurent Mekies, congratulates the team mechanics for the excellent work done in the repair of Carlos Sainz Jr.'s car:
"I would like to congratulate our mechanics for being able to restore Carlos' car in time to allow him to compete in qualifying it wasn't a given at all and they really did a great job. Having both riders on the third row is a good team result. We said on the eve that we wanted to go back to fighting for these positions in qualifying and we achieved our first objective of the weekend. Carlos was very good at immediately regaining the feeling with the car after going off the track. It's a pity that Charles wasn't able to grab a second row that was close to him especially in light of the fantastic lap he did in Q2: it means he'll do it again tomorrow. Now we have to focus on the race, which will be very difficult. On a track where overtaking will be complicated, the start will have an even more important weight than usual. Furthermore, we will have to be good at making the most of every opportunity that may present itself on a track that does not forgive even a small mistake".
Sebastian Vettel is understandably disappointed, having been eliminated at the end of Q1.
"Perhaps it wasn't the best moment to go out, but today we weren't fast enough. This morning, during free practice, everything seemed to be in order, so much so that I thought we could improve our pace in the afternoon. In reality it wasn't like that, so much so that we'll have to think of something different because overcoming is really difficult here. Overall I am very disappointed. “It's a disappointing result and there are lessons to be learned today, I think a place in Q2 was achievable with a clean lap and I felt good in the car, but there was a lot of traffic which prevented me from completing the lap and making the most of maximum evolution of the track. In any case, we weren't able to make a big step from our test pace, so we need to understand why that was the case. It's difficult to overtake here, but anything can happen tomorrow, especially on such a demanding track. We will try to make up ground in the race and take advantage of any opportunity".
During the first qualifying session, the German risked contact with the two Haas of Schumacher and Mazepin. Despite the investigation, the two drivers were not penalised. Mazepin, despite being angry with his teammate, thanks Vettel for his behavior in front of the marshals:
"I'm really pissed, to be honest. It shouldn't have been that difficult in terms of traffic. There are rules in Formula 1 teams. One weekend a driver goes out as the first car, the next weekend as the second car. This weekend it was my turn to be the first car. At Imola I once overtook the car in front when I was behind and was called back by the team. Now this is the second time this has happened to me, with my teammate overtaking me and then pushing me back into traffic, fucking me on my last attempt in qualifying. And he does it on purpose. I'm not happy at all. If it happens twice and it's deliberate, I don't like it. I'm pissed off. I have already spoken to the team and they are in agreement. I don't know what the other side says. I thanked Sebastian Vettel for his intellectual honesty and for being a true gentleman to the stewards, he basically explained that there were no particular responsibilities on the part of any driver in that situation where everyone found themselves hanging on the brakes at the penultimate corner . I am truly grateful for Vettel's behavior by the marshals following what happened on the track".
Mick Schumacher, on the other hand, minimizes what happened:
"I'm glad I did everything right. I spoke about it on the radio. We both found ourselves in a situation that wasn't ideal. The last corner was not easy. Sebastian is really the last person I would want to lock in the grid, I'm really sorry about that. The relationship between me and Nikita? What came before had always been different situations. There is no reason to complain about this. I don't know what else to say".
Lance Stroll, Sebastian Vettel's teammate, will start in twelfth position:
"It's a real shame that the red flags prevented us from entering Q3, the lap I was doing was much better and I think that would have been enough. We had pace in the car, so it's a shame not to be able to fully show that. Even if it's not the result we wanted today, I'm looking forward to qualifying here next year, as this is a really fun circuit to drive around. We can fight for points. I don't expect a lot of overtaking in the race, so getting a good start and executing a good strategy will be key. Our focus is already on tomorrow and on coming back stronger".
Instead, it was a happy qualifying for Antonio Giovinazzi, who qualified in seventh position. Satisfied, despite the problems in Q2, the Italian driver says, at the end of practice:
"I am super satisfied. Already yesterday we showed our potential as happened in Monte Carlo, being immediately in the top ten. Today, however, the most special thanks go to the team. In Q2 we had a problem, the front right didn't come out. We were unlucky there, but then it went well with the red flag. The guys didn't give up, we managed to get to Q3 and my last lap was magnificent. My best result to thank the team for the result they achieved. During Q2 I only saw a lot of sweat on the guys' foreheads, who wanted to solve the problem. My trainer told me to stay calm and keep focused, that's what I did. I reviewed the lap of the track to stay focused and then a great lap came out. We'll see what happens. It's a new track, the first lap will be new for everyone. In free practice our race pace wasn't bad: we know it's difficult to overtake; therefore, we have to focus on the start and on the first lap, think of a normal strategy, like the others. Staying there too, in seventh position, would be great".
Robert Kubica, who replaces Kimi Raikkonen in the Dutch Grand Prix, certainly cannot be satisfied with his performance:
"The track is certainly not easy, but these situations cannot be chosen. There are several factors that make it difficult: lack of confidence, lack of time to understand the car, to get to know it and to ride it and drive it. Added to this are the laps I was unable to do yesterday in the first two free practice sessions. Zandvoort is not easy to know, especially with an F1 car, where the grip is there but it takes a moment to lose it. It wasn't easy today, the important thing was not to make mistakes. Surely it could have been done better, but I wasn't lucky on my last lap in Q1: I had a lot of traffic on the opening lap and I wasn't able to warm up the tires well".
The two Alpine team riders qualified in seventh and eighth position. Fernando Alonso, who will start ahead of his teammate, said at the end of practice:
"We managed to save a set of soft tires in Q1, but due to the red flag in Q2, our courage didn't pay off, because the others were able to avoid spending a set of tires in Q2. Then in Q3 we were all really close in terms of lap times. We will try to do some overtaking at the start and see after a few laps where we are. After that, I think it will be difficult to overtake".
And Esteban Ocon adds:
"I think it was a good qualifying for us today. I felt good in the car and I think we achieved the best in terms of performance and placement. Of course, gaining a few rows would have been ideal, but we are satisfied with having taken a step forward after the FP3 which had not been so promising. We have two cars in the top 10, the goal is to climb a few positions in the race to bring home a good haul of points. I hope to give a good show tomorrow to this magnificent audience".
In Zandvoort, the two McLaren team drivers seem to be in trouble, given the characteristics of the British car which are not suited to the Dutch circuit. In fact, Lando Norris was unable to get through to Q3 and qualified in thirteenth position. However, the British driver complains more about the display of red flags than the behavior of his car:
"Too many red flags? Yes, that was the problem because I couldn't make the second attempt. Sure, that goes for the others too, but I would have liked to have had another opportunity to get into Q3. We were very close, I don't know if there was the pace to do it. However, Daniel did a good lap, he was fast all weekend. Without a perfect lap and without the help of a slipstream, a minimal mistake was enough to get out of Q2. It's difficult because we are all very close, even with Alfa Romeo, AlphaTauri and Alpine: it was probably the most closely contested qualifying of the whole year. Maybe it was also my worst qualifying of the whole year, and putting the two together you can understand today's result".
His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, managed to get into Q3, but couldn't get beyond 10th position:
"Seventy-five% of qualifying, in Q1 and Q2, was really good compared to where we thought we were. There were a lot of things that went well and the lap times were good. It all came quite naturally to me and I was able to improve a bit in each corner. I felt comfortable. In Q3 I felt like I was lacking grip from the first corner, so it was a bit more of a struggle from then on. We still don't know why. The lead may have changed and we may have missed something, but we will look into it and try to find an answer. It's frustrating because Q3 dictates the grid and this was our worst result in qualifying. There are some positives to take from today, but we still have some unknowns. We will continue to work on it".
The qualifications of the two Williams Racing drivers were also not satisfactory. Nicholas Latifi, in fact, will start from the pit lane together with Sergio Perez. The incident in Q2 forced the Canadian driver to replace the gearbox. George Russell, on the other hand, qualified eleventh, despite the accident in Q2. The Englishman apologized to his team members through a tweet:
"I apologize to the team. I pushed too hard today and in the end that cost us the passage to Q3. There are no excuses. I'll start from 11th position, I'll do my best to make it up to you".
On Sunday 5 September 2021, at the start of the Dutch Grand Prix, Max Verstappen maintains the lead of the race, followed by Lewis Hamilton. Valtteri Bottas is in third position, ahead of Pierre Gasly. Fernando Alonso, who started from ninth position, moved up to seventh position, behind the two Ferraris. Sergio Pérez and Nicholas Latifi start from the pit lane: the first to replace the energy recovery system, the second to replace the front wing. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton impose a very high pace, but the Briton fails to get close to his rival. During the eighth lap, Sergio Pérez was forced to make a pit stop, after damaging a tire under braking, in an attempt to pass Nikita Mazepin. On lap fourteen, Max Verstappen's margin over Lewis Hamilton was 3.5 seconds. The rest of the group is away. Valtteri Bottas is over 9 seconds off the leader, but has a 14-second lead over Pierre Gasly. In the hope of being able to pass Max Verstappen with an undercut, Lewis Hamilton decides to bring up the pit stop on lap 20, and mounts Medium tyres. However, Max Verstappen opposes the rival's initiative by stopping in the pits during the following lap; the Dutchman also uses Medium tyres. The Red Bull Racing pit stop is a second better than the one made by the Mercedes mechanics, but this does not prevent Lewis Hamilton from bringing his gap from the Dutchman to less than two seconds. Meanwhile Valtteri Bottas takes command of the race. During lap 24 Gasly stopped in the pits and put on Medium tyres. The Frenchman returns to the track in seventh position. In the minutes that follow, Valtteri Bottas, in a crisis with the tires, sees his lead over Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton rapidly diminish. Meanwhile, Gasly moved up to sixth after overtaking Fernando Alonso at the first corner. During lap 30 Max Verstappen, taking advantage of a small driving error by Valtteri Bottas, passes the Finn on the starting straight. A few meters later the Mercedes driver gave the position to his team mate, Lewis Hamilton.
And finally, on lap 31 the Finn also stops in the pits to change tyres. Between lap 31 and lap 34, the two Ferrari pioneers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., stopped in the pits and put on the Hard tyres. Meanwhile Max Verstappen leads the race 1.5 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, 24 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas, 46 seconds ahead of Pierre Gasly, and almost a minute ahead of Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton, in trying to find an opportunity to overtake Max Verstappen, made a second pit stop on lap 39. The Medium tires were mounted on the British driver's car. However, Hamilton returned to the track and queued up behind a group of lapped riders, thwarting the opportunity to get close to the race leader. For safety, the Red Bull team calls Max Verstappen back to the pits, and having no more Medium tires available, the Hard tires are mounted. Taking advantage of the slipstream of the lapped cars, Lewis Hamilton manages to get within 1.5 seconds of Max Verstappen, with 15 laps left in the race. However, the pace of the World Champion is not enough to overtake the Dutchman. Meanwhile Sergio Pérez, who stopped in the pits to put on a set of Soft tyres, made an exceptional comeback. After the two McLaren and Esteban Ocon, the Mexican driver manages to reach eighth place. During lap 68, Valtteri Bottas was called to the pits. In the following laps, the Mercedes driver records the fastest lap. This situation forced the Anglo-German team to call the World Champion back to the pits, to make another stop and try to conquer the additional point through the fastest lap. On the Soft tyres, the Briton was able to complete the team's strategy on the last lap. In the final stages of the race, Fernando Alonso conquered sixth position by overtaking Carlos Sainz Jr.. Max Verstappen won the Dutch Grand Prix and obtained the 17th triumph in his career. The Dutch driver precedes the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr., Sergio Perez, Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris to the finish line. Max Verstappen, winner of the Dutch Grand Prix, at the end of the race comments excitedly on the seventeenth career triumph:
"It's hard to put into words the significance [of this success], everyone was expecting a lot. Being able to achieve the result was incredible. It's been a good week. They also know that I do my best and we need a good car to get the most out of it. Today was a real team effort. Lewis didn't have a long run and didn't know what to expect from the fuel-heavy tyres. They have been strong on the straights, even if they will always deny it. We will try to do our best. It's truly incredible. Expectations were very high on the eve of this weekend. It's never easy to measure up. I am very happy to have won here and to have regained the leadership of the championship. It's an extraordinary day and enjoying it with this audience is incredible. perfect day? Well, it sure is very positive. We got off to a very good start. Then obviously Mercedes tried to make life difficult for us but we managed everything very well. We can be satisfied with the final result".
His teammate, Sergio Perez, who started from the pit lane, finished the race in eighth position:
"It was a shame because sixth position was possible. When I passed Lando I suffered a lot of damage to the right side of the car, which I think wasn't necessary. I didn't have enough space and we touched, and the consequences were heavy for the car. We acted to limit the damage by deciding to change the engine immediately and serving the penalty. Now it's already time to look ahead to be able to come back even stronger at Monza".
Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner talks about a perfect race from his drivers and his men:
"Red Bull did nothing wrong today. It was a flawless race for the team today. There's a fantastic atmosphere here and I've never seen such a reaction in my entire career, the fans in Holland are incredible. It was important for Max to get off to a clean start: his ability to judge and understand the level of grip is impressive. We knew Mercedes would differentiate the strategy between Bottas and Hamilton, and they did exactly that. It was crucial for Max to pass Valtteri immediately and cover himself from Lewis' undercut. The team did everything possible today to make sure Max had a smooth race and he did everything he needed to. Perez won the driver of the day award and had a great race. Not only did he start from the pit lane, but he also suffered a huge flat tire. We therefore had to call him back to the pits for safety reasons: Checo found himself in an even more difficult position but he managed to rebuild his race, obtaining important points for us. Looking ahead, Monza and Sochi are tracks where Mercedes is in a dominant position, we expect them to have the upper hand: in the next two races we must try to limit the damage and try to get as much out of the cars as possible. We are both there, this championship seems to be decided in Abu Dhabi".
The British manager also replies to Toto Wolff, who had commented on the possibility of seeing Alex Albon in Williams next year:
"I think it's rather unusual, obviously there's a big influence, but I'm sure Williams will choose the drivers they want to race without any restrictions. As for Albon, I don't think we should necessarily let him go free. We are carrying on very constructive discussions with both Williams and Alfa Romeo, and I expect the situation to be resolved in the coming weeks. Obviously we would like to see Alex back on the grid next year, we think highly of him and aim to find a solution. Of course, Williams wasn't the only one who expressed an interest in him. Albon will return to Formula 1 next season, while we, behind the scenes, are doing everything we can to make that happen. However, I think his preference is Williams, but there is a lot of interest in him, and it will be nice to see him back on track".
Red Bull Racing consultant Helmut Marko, despite the victory achieved by Max Verstappen, does not spare his comments, positive and negative, on Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes team:
"Hamilton tends to be theatrical, we analyzed the Mercedes tyres, and the most critical ones were those of Bottas. As far as we're concerned, we thought that, after the second stop, we could use the hard tires without any problems. Lewis attacked constantly, but Max covered very well. It was a good fight from start to finish. I have to congratulate not only the Dutch public, but also Mercedes and Hamilton for the way they behaved. This is how a race should be".
The Mercedes team ended the Dutch weekend taking second and third positions. Lewis Hamilton, who also managed to get the extra point at the last minute, congratulates his opponent, Max Verstappen, and talks about the next race, which will take place in Monza:
"What a race and what an audience. Fantastic weekend. Max did a great job. Congratulations to him. I gave everything I had, I pushed hard from start to finish. I couldn't go any faster than that. They were faster than us. I had so much fun here in Holland. Thanks to the public, thanks for the hospitality. Traffic? From now on I will call Max Moses, because when there was traffic he was able to pass. It was difficult to navigate through traffic. Following those in front of you is not easy. Fastest lap? My last lap was one of the best moments of the race. This one-lap, low-fuel track is beautiful. Can't wait to go back, it's already one of my favorite tracks. This track is really difficult, it's physically and mentally demanding. We weren't fast enough overall today, we needed some luck with the traffic, and we didn't get it. We needed perfect pit stops, and we didn't get them, we needed the perfect strategy, but we didn't get that either. They did an overall better job. The timing of the second stop was definitely wrong, but it went the way it went. We will look at everything and try to figure out where to improve. It was a great weekend for me I missed FP2 on Friday and being able to recover, coming so close to Verstappen, makes me happy. They progressed further in the last race with the updates they brought, while we, at the moment, have not been able to respond. They were very fast as they had never been this season. They brought developments in the last race, and the improvements were all seen on Sunday. We too will have a lot of work to do. We have to bring something that allows us to compete with them. I couldn't do much to respond to the lap times he was already setting in the first stint it was really difficult to stay close to him. I think Max was just managing, while I pushed hard in the hope of not losing too much ground to him. We probably had to be perfect in our strategies to have a minimum chance of overtaking him. Pit stops had to be made at the right time, the strategy had to be well planned also considering the traffic, but none of these three aspects was up to the task".
Valtteri Bottas is satisfied with the points obtained by the team, despite a slow race:
"Unfortunately for me it wasn't a very eventful race. We tried with one stop, I tried to make the tires last until the end of the stint. At the end I had quite a lead and we decided to have a safety stop. I had good pace. Fast ride? I didn't even try to do it, but then in the end Lewis took it. However, as a team we achieved a good haul of points. For me it was a quiet race, but as a team we scored important points in a special atmosphere like the one we experienced here. Before the race I felt a lot of energy from the crowd, and it's really great to be able to race in Zandvoort. It's fun, even if it's hard to top. I pushed very hard, but we realized we had made a single pit stop too soon. At that point I had to manage tire wear for too long, and it was very complex. The only alternative was to make another stop, which took place after the race had progressed. We decided on this move not only because we had a good advantage, but also because I was starting to feel vibrations, so there was mainly a safety reason. We weren't quite as fast as them here, but Monza will be a completely different circuit, where we hope to be able to compete".
The principal team of Mercedes, Toto Wolff, on the other hand, analyzes the performance of his team, focusing on the strategy used by Valtteri Bottas and on the request not to make the fastest lap:
"We attempted an undercut, but we didn't do it at the right time. In the end, we should have been more concrete. We didn't expect them to opt for the hard tyre, as it hadn't been tested and we didn't have enough data from Friday. It was truly a gamble, and we saw it with Ferrari's pace. We thought we'd put more pressure on him with the softs. It's like you have the fastest car, but overtaking is still difficult for you. Credit must be given to Red Bull, who did a flawless job today. Max was the fastest in front of his fans, but next week it could be different on a different track and we will fight again for the championship. The single stop wasn't an obligation, Bottas was wasting a lot of time, and that's why we thought we'd bring him back to the pits. I am sorry".
And adds:
"As a driver and as a racer, I'm sorry to give so many team orders, but this championship is so balanced that points cannot be dropped. Even Red Bull once left points with Perez in order to take away the fastest lap from us. I don't like it for Valtteri and for anyone who watches these matches, but I have to play like this. We had the speed to fight to win. But there were little things that we didn't do perfectly. For example, we had the opportunity to attempt an undercut because we thought it would be difficult for them to go wide with the soft tyres. We didn't think hardcore was a possibility. That was a small mistake. We have small moments where if we are perfect we can fight, but we are missed. Monza? I like Italy, we will go on the attack. Let's go get these trophies next week. It was an understandable provocation, Valtteri often receives indications because this championship is closely contested. He put his foot up in the last sector, and it was clear Lewis would then set the fastest lap, and Bottas knew it. In the end Lewis got the extra point for the drivers' championship, and that was good. Lewis should have given up on that extra point and it wouldn't have been fair, also because he had been the one who set the fastest lap up to that point. In any case, one has to understand a certain degree of frustration in Valtteri, but in the end everything went well. We will talk about it in the most friendly and professional way possible. Zandvoort must be a point of reference for all circuits that will be built in the future. Both Hamilton and Bottas told me that it's a proper track, every mistake is punished and the drivers have to take risks to get rewards in terms of lap time. No one then talks about track-limits. The slopes should all be like this, with on-boards where you risk pissing yourself".
Ferrari's team principal, Mattia Binotto, is however satisfied with the performance of both drivers, as they guarantee third place in the Constructors' World Championship standings:
"I read the race in a positive way. This track presented a big pitfall for us, the life of the tyres. In terms of speed, it's similar to Paul Ricard, the risk of finding yourself in a similar situation, starting up front and then losing ground was high for us. We put the hard gears in the second stint to ensure that we went to the end with one stop. Overall we are happy. We also told the riders: let's not take any risks and try to bring home the necessary points for the constructors' championship. Charles drove very well. At one point we tried to push Gasly to the pit stop, pretending to stop. He came back, for us it was an opportunity. The team worked well, with the limitations the car has today. Sainz? Sometimes it takes very little to generate more wear. The pilot was not completely at ease. He missed FP3, so in preparation for qualifying and the race he missed useful moments to lap and gain experience on this track. I wouldn't make a drama out of it. His race was solid too, too bad about the last lap. Carlos Sainz Jr. wasn't comfortable with the car, we'll try to understand if there's a problem with the car, balance sheet or set-up. They may be details, but they have meant that his performance has not met expectations. With the accident in the third free practice session, he lost the opportunity for further explanations to understand, get to know the car better and possibly address the set-up. We want to optimize the package and be competitive. Monza has other peculiarities in addition to the engine such as effectiveness in braking and changes of direction".
Carlos Sainz Jr., in fact, is not satisfied with his performance.
"A very difficult race for me. I don't understand why, but I was very slow, from the first to the last lap. The car was sliding a lot in front and behind, I had a lot of degradation on the tyres, certainly more than I expected and more than Charles. It's something to analyse starting tonight. Already from the first lap I didn't feel comfortable with the car, I didn't have the full feeling. It's very strange, it's the first time this has happened. For me it was supposed to be an attack race to catch Gasly and Leclerc, instead I spent the whole Sunday looking at myself in the mirrors, and then I was overtaken. I had no pace, I was sliding a lot and I had a lot of degradation in the first stint. Sunday in Monza will be a special weekend, I will certainly remember it for the rest of my life. I want to have fun, I want to remember everything that happens. But first I have to analyze what happened here, to make sure it doesn't happen again".
Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, says he is satisfied with the pace expressed by his car, but not with the position obtained at the end of the race:
"Impossible to take Pierre. We tried to stay more on the softs to have an advantage at the end of the race, but nothing. To be honest, we didn't expect them to make middle school last this long. We went with the Hards and tried, but we didn't make it. Maybe there was an opportunity at the start, but I found myself stuck and didn't want to take so many risks. We had to score points today and we did, especially compared to McLaren. This is the positive. Perhaps we had a little more pace than Pierre today, in absolute value, but it's very difficult to overtake here. The pace was good, we didn't expect to be ahead of the whole midfield in this respect. Yesterday I didn't do everything perfectly, I take the blame for that, but today I'm happy with my race. It's a fifth place, I'm not very happy with finishing in this position, but with the performance, yes. Everything was beautiful here, but Monza is something more. It won't be easy this year, but getting to the circuit and feeling so much support from the fans will be great. We'll give everything and see how it goes".
Pierre Gasly managed to finish his race in fourth place, ahead of the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. The French driver, happy with the result, said at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix:
"I am very happy with this team and with this race. It wasn't easy on this track, it was dangerous and difficult for us. The car was very fast and truly amazing. It wasn't easy with Charles behind us throughout the race, but we did it and I'm very happy. Early stop? At the beginning, during the first 3-4 laps, I pushed a lot. But after 20 laps Charles was faster. It was difficult with the tires, we tried to stay on medium and the team was a bit scared at the start. They said to me 'Go slower, go slower', but it was easy for me to keep my foot down. I always wanted to push. Monza arrives in seven days, it's kind of my home, living in Milan. It's really special for me to go back one year after that incredible win. I hope to do well for all the fans, for the team and for me. We will all have a better feeling this year, since the fans are there. Last year we raced behind closed doors and it was quite strange".
His teammate Yuki Tsunoda is understandably disappointed, forced to retire on lap 48 due to a power unit malfunction:
"Naturally, today's result is disappointing. We noticed a problem with the PU data and sadly had to stop. Up until that point the race was going quite well: the pace was there, even if overtaking was still difficult. Now I have to look ahead: I have some experience in Monza and it will come in handy. I intend to take the same approach this weekend, gradually building my pace. Hopefully we can put it all together next week".
Fernando Alonso, driving the Alpine, also managed to finish in front of a Ferrari, specifically that of Carlos Sainz Jr. and, at the end of the race, the Spaniard talks about this unexpected result:
"I'm really happy. We had to be very aggressive the first lap because after that it was difficult to overtake. We were aggressive and it went well. Then everything was based on keeping the tires alive. We had no information, so every lap we updated the team. Finishing in sixth position, in front of a Ferrari, was completely unexpected. Overtaking Sainz? Well, when you have bad tires everything becomes easier for the others, he had worn tires and low temperature and we managed to pass. I expected it to be more difficult, but the DRS worked fine. My plan at the start was to go to the outside starting from the clean area of the track, maintaining a straight trajectory to then take advantage of the entire outside of turn one. Giovinazzi followed my same plan, and I was forced to change my starting move. At that point, I had to come up with something at turn two or three. There were many cars and there was a moment when I even passed on the grass. However, already at turn three I found a good remedy to stay on the outside and gain speed on exit. Sainz was in the middle and, in a sense, he blocked me. However, the fight between him and Giovinazzi, which continued until turn seven, allowed me to make up one position. In all of this, I think Ocon hit me at turn one, Russell at two and Giovinazzi at six. In any case, my tires were still in excellent condition, with no punctures, and that was good".
Esteban Ocon, who finished ninth, is pleased but points out that the Alpine team needs to score points in every race in order to continue progressing:
"It was an eventful race and I'm happy to score points today. The start was a bit confusing, but I felt comfortable in the midst of those battles. From our point of view, we could have finished with one or two positions higher in the standings, but we weren't lucky faced with some circumstances, with all the blue flags displayed at the least opportune moment. In any case as a team we have shown that we have a good pace throughout the weekend, and we are satisfied with it. It is essential to score points for the Constructors' Championship and now we are moving to Italy with the intention of repeating ourselves. Last year we were very competitive here and our goal is always to get as many points as possible".
The McLaren team finished the Dutch weekend with just one point, thanks to Lando Norris' tenth place. The Englishman, disappointed with the performance but satisfied with the pace of his car, says:
"Tenth place in itself is disappointing, but on the other hand it's a good result because I didn't think we could have done much more starting from 13th. It's a difficult track to overtake, but we had good pace, we had a good strategy and I think we have to be happy with this point. I think it's the best we could have done today. Maybe if we had started in a better position and done a better job yesterday, we could have gotten a little more. We will use this result to come back even stronger at Monza".
The Briton finished ahead of his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo.
"We got stuck behind the Alpines. They were saving the tires and I was trying to stay with them. However, once they opened the gap, I didn't have their pace we put on the hard tire and tried to pick up some pace. We also tried to run a team strategy to maximize points, which cost me some race time. I think in the end the pace wasn't so good. We struggled a bit, for different reasons, in the first and second stints. We were tenth at one point, but it was hard to imagine getting much higher than that. Of course I would have liked to score some points, but we will analyze everything and learn from that".
Antonio Giovinazzi is also disappointed, given that, after a good qualifying, he was unable to finish the race in the top ten:
"The departure was ok. There were three of us after turn 3 and then I touched Fernando. Then we were tenth, but I had a puncture right away; I had to make another stop and with one more stop, the race was practically over. I don't know the reason for the puncture. We had just pitted, we did three laps and then I had to stop again. I can't wait [to race at Monza]. I need the fans right now, to have something more and maybe a little luck. And that it can make a great result. I can not wait to be there".
Robert Kubica, called up to replace Kimi Raikkonen, finished the race in fifteenth position.
"I'm quite happy with my race even if it wasn't easy to take over on one of the toughest and most physical tracks in the championship. The last time I did a full race was almost two years ago in Abu Dhabi but in the end it was a good race and I also had some fun battles. Everyone was probably expecting a chaotic race, with yellow flags, safety cars, but none of that happened. I still managed to have a good fight with Sebastian and then catch Latifi and pass him on the last lap which was fun. Considering the amount of preparation I've had, I'm very happy with how the race went and I'm ready if the team needs me again".
The Aston Martin team also failed to get one of its two drivers into the top-ten. Sebastian Vettel finished the race in thirteenth position, behind teammate Lance Stroll.
"It was one of those Grands Prix that shows that if you start further back it's really difficult to recover, especially on a track where overtaking is so complicated given the nature of the track. I had to take a lot of risks overtaking, but if you qualify from behind it's difficult to catch up. When I had some clean air, in the final part of the race, the pace was very good. Given the position we started from, we tried to do something different with the strategy and I was happy with our approach".
And Lance Stroll adds:
"Today is the demonstration of how important qualifying is, and unfortunately our race was compromised since yesterday. I had a good start, but I wasn't able to make up positions. We will look at the strategy to see what else we could have done, but I don't think we could have achieved much more. Zandvoort is a beautiful track and I'm happy to see it on the calendar, but qualifying matters a lot and perhaps overtaking could be made easier".
The British driver of Williams, George Russell, was forced to retire - during lap 69 - due to a gearbox problem:
“Our race was respectable, the first stage was good, with a duel with Giovinazzi and the McLarens in front. When I came into the pits for the first stop I pushed hard at the pit lane entrance, which is quite deceptive, and unfortunately I went a bit over the top with speed. In any case, the five-second penalty hadn't compromised my race. We could have aimed for P12 or P13 if we hadn't had to retire the car a few laps from the checkered flag due to a gearbox problem. In any case I'm already looking forward to the next weekend in Italy. Monza is a completely different circuit to this one, where we will be racing with downforce close to minimum, as opposed to what is set here. Among the various aspects there will also be the Sprint Race which will offer more opportunities".
The race weekend for Williams was not great. In addition to George Russell's retirement, it must be said that Nicholas Latifi was unable to go beyond sixteenth position:
"As we expected, Zandvoort was a complex circuit to race on, and in fact there weren't many overtaking opportunities. It's never easy to start from the pit lane, so much so that Perez and I had to complete two laps before catching up with the group. The first part of the race was good; I passed both Haas and was happy with my pace. We aimed for a long stint with the hard tyres, and therefore it wasn't easy to manage them in the best possible way towards the end of the race, when I was losing temperature due to the blue flags. There was a lot of fighting today".
During the race it was noticed that the two Haas drivers, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, battled it out. Haas team principal, Gunther Stainer, analysing what happened in the race, says:
"To be honest I don't think it was a bad manoeuvrer, looking back at the scene I think there is responsibility for both. There is no one to blame, you just have to work and be constructive. We met during the debrief of our engineers, but we haven't reached a conclusion. The plan is to meet before Monza to understand how to avoid similar episodes in the future, because they are of no help to anyone. I've already tried to explain it to him once and I'll do it again until we sort it all out. I know it won't be easy, but conclusions must be reached, otherwise we will have to set strict rules. I haven't had much time to argue with Mick, but he's adamant about what he thinks. I myself wouldn't find any reason other than this to react like Nikita did in that race context. It's a new situation for me. I think it's normal that, after talking, you can get some respect. In some respects I feel that this thing is not happening and I do not understand why. In any case, we will be able to solve it".
This also concludes the thirteenth round of the Formula 1 World Championship. Having obtained the victory of the Dutch Grand Prix, Max Verstappen manages to return to the lead of the Drivers' World Championship standings, relegating Lewis Hamilton to second position. In fact, the Dutch driver leads the standings with 224.5 points, while the British follow with 221.5 points. Thanks to the podium obtained in Zandvoort, Valtteri Bottas also manages to pass his direct rival - Lando Norris - to third place in the standings. As for the Constructors' World Championship, Mercedes-AMG remains at the top of the standings with 344.5 points, followed by Red Bull Racing, with 332.5 points. As for the fight for third place, Scuderia Ferrari manages to overtake McLaren, reaching 181.5 points against the rival team's 170. As has been seen since the beginning of the year, at each race the result can change in favour of one or another competitor, and there is no lack of twists. The fourteenth round of the World Championship is scheduled for Sunday 12 September 2021, on the occasion of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. The circuit should be favourable to the Mercedes driven by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, just as it could favour a recovery of the McLarens against the Scuderia Ferrari. But, as mentioned, each Grand Prix has its own story to tell.