The F1 season returned from the summer break with a rainy race in Holland. The competition ended Max Verstappen’s to victory. Fernando Alonso drove to second place and Pierre Gasly third.
Sports expert Jukka Mildh gathers the talking points, tops and flops of the race on the Zandvoort track.
What solved it?
Rain hindered the Dutch competition on two occasions, but Max Verstappen made absolutely the right decisions with his team. Red Bull clearly also wanted Verstappen to win in his home race.
– Red Bull managed the very challenging conditions at the beginning and end of the race, tactically and strategically. They clearly made all decisions from the pit visits in favor of Verstappen, Urheilu’s expert Jukka Mildh says.
According to the expert, Verstappen drove in front of his home crowd in ecstasy and with very high quality.
– When a driver like Verstappen gets to the front in that attack and manages both the difficult conditions and the race as a whole, others have no place for a word.
What speaks?
There are currently no bigger commotions in Formula 1. However, at the Dutch GP, it was noticed how difficult it is for current F1 cars to drive in the rain.
At the beginning of the race, the drivers were still able to drive with intermediate tires, but the heavy rain that hit in the final stages interrupted the race for almost 45 minutes.
– The conditions were really demanding and varied. In the race, it was noticed how timid the current F1 car is. It is no longer the tires that cause aquaplaning, but the fact that the car sucks up so much water from the surface of the track, because the height to the track is only ten millimeters.
– That’s why we see really dangerous situations. Bottas’ team mate For Guanyu Zhou it just happened this way.
This is only accentuated on a “sweet” track like Holland, which requires a lot of aerodynamic grip.
– Here it was emphasized that the car is lower and the bottom starts to slide on the water. It’s not about the tires anymore. Of course, this has always been the case, but this is only emphasized in the cars of the new era.
What about Bottas?
Valtteri Bottas got off to a great start as he moved up six places. However, the competition ended in disappointment and in 15th place. Alfa Romeo’s pace was modest.
– Bottas’ race was quite normal. At one point it really looked like Zhou was taking her like a wet rag. Then he made a mistake and drove out.
– Valtteri drove a solid race and finished. Could have got points but he drove what he could in the conditions.
In the case of Bottas, one can argue whether Alfa Romeo should have taken the Finn in at the start of the race. Driving on soft tires in the rain, Bottas was at the tail end of the group, while the others were driving on intermediate tires.
– Bottas really took a good start and took advantage of the situations. No one wanted to spoil their competition by stalling at the very beginning, but Valtteri has so much experience in such situations.
– Alfa Romeo and Sauber’s way of working was highlighted once again, that the decisions are not always right. Maybe it wouldn’t have won terribly, but a few places.
Bottas himself said after the race that he would have liked to be able to change the tires at the end of the opening lap, but the team did not agree. Suomalaiskiski continued that the matter must be looked into, because he missed a good opportunity.
– I think we should definitely have come to the pits immediately, even before the start in the warm-up lap, so that didn’t quite work, Bottas insisted.
Surprise
Mildh shares the surprise role with two drivers, Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly. Experts are reminded how Alonso drove very well in the first laps.
– He is absolutely superior in those situations when you have to use the fumbling of others to your advantage at the start. He has a lot of guts to pass and he did a great job. The audience also voted him the best of the competition.
Gasly, who started from grid 12, received a five-second time penalty in the race, but was still able to get on the podium in the end.
– Alpine is in the middle of change and turmoil, because the management of the stable was changed dramatically. Now the team is going in a good direction. Gasly’s fourth podium in his entire career and the top spot. He drove really well.
A flop
Ferrari roars again. The Italian team is known for its pitfalls in recent seasons, and they were not avoided in Holland either.
When the tires had to be changed at the beginning, the Ferrari was not ready in the pit.
– When Charles Leclerc was already in the pit, Ferrari hadn’t made any decisions and the tires weren’t ready.
– Once again, completely incomprehensible communication problems that backfired in the competition. A stable of this quality should not fall into such mistakes and fumbling.
Leclerc eventually had to retire as the bottom of his car broke. Mildh has pointed out that the Monaco’s cassette is starting to break down.
Leclerc was supposed to be the king of the team this season, but for now Carlos Sainz has done much more consistent work.
– He is calmer, while Leclerc starts to get emotional. It was also visible in qualifying.
The Monaco native had to stay even in the first part of the time trial. In the end, he drove to the last section, but due to a driving error, it ended in the ramparts.
– He tried too much. He’s got an awful lot of experience and should put in solid laps.
– A lot is expected of him in the future. He should definitely get his lines in order and stay mature in these situations.
What next?
The season continues the following weekend in Monza, Italy. The track is very different compared to Zandvoort, but Mildh believes the power ratios will remain the same.
However, Ferrari is currently under really heavy pressure to improve their rankings in their home race.
– If Verstappen had pressure in his home race, they are many times more at Ferrari in Monza.
– I hope Bottas could also manage on that track. Top speed is really needed in Monza, and it is certainly a more difficult thing for Alfa.
The expert expects especially from Mercedes and From Lewis Hamilton a lot in Italy.
– Mersu has every chance to succeed in Monza. The car is in good shape. Hamilton, especially before the holidays, had rocked a lot and clearly took the role of the dominant driver. He can take the team in a good direction. I expect a lot from them.
Formula One World Series 13/22 race, Dutch GP:
Final results (72 laps, 306.587 km):
1) Max Verstappen, Holland, Red Bull
2) Fernando Alonso, Spain, Aston Martin
3) Pierre Gasly, France, Alpine
4) Sergio Perez, Mexico, Red Bull
5) Carlos Sainz, Spain, Ferrari
6) Lewis Hamilton, Britain, Mercedes
7) Lando Norris, Britain, McLaren
8) Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams
9) Oscar Piastri, Australia, McLaren
10) Esteban Ocon, France, Alpine
11) Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin
12) Nico Hülkenberg, Germany, Haas
13) Liam Lawson, New Zealand, AlphaTauri
14) Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas
15) Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Alfa Romeo
16) Yuki Tsunoda, Japan, AlphaTauri
17) George Russell, Britain, Mercedes
Dropped by:
Logan Sargeant, USA, Williams (14th round)
Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari (41st)
Zhou Guanyu, China, Alfa Romeo (62nd).
1) Verstappen 339
2) Perez 201
3) Alonso 168
4) Hamilton 156
5) Sainz 102
6) Leclerc 99
7) Russell 99
8) Norris 75
9) Stroll 47
10) Gasly 37
11) Ocon 36
12) Square 36
13) Albon 15
14) Hulkenberg 9
15) Bottas 5
16) Zhou 4
17) Tsunoda 3
18) Magnussen 2
Manufacturers’ WC points standings:
1) Red Bull 540
2) Mercedes 255
3) Aston Martin 215
4) Ferrari 201
5) McLaren 111
6) Alpine 73
7) Williams 15
8) Haas 11
9) Alfa Romeo 9
10) AlphaTauri 3.
Next race: 3.9. Italian GP (Monza).