Max: “Satisfied with the first row”
For Lando, the last lap at Zandvoort felt like his best Q lap this season. “The car was good and I was good. It’s not an easy circuit, especially with the wind, but I feel very comfortable this weekend. I am quite surprised that the gap with Max is more than three-tenths, but that does not mean that I will have it under control tomorrow.”
Verstappen certainly does not accept a Lando triumph in advance. “But I don’t feel completely comfortable in the car yet. The balance is not yet in order and I have lost some time somewhere in every lap. But maybe I want to hold on to something that is not there now,” Verstappen referred to the end of dominance. “On the other hand, in Q1 and Q2 I didn’t think I could get involved in the battle for pole at all and tomorrow I will be on the front row. I can be satisfied with that.”
Oscar Piastri, teammate of Norris and starting from third place. “We will see what strategy Red Bull chooses tomorrow. That could still be interesting. Our cars are good. Compared to last year we have gained 1.5 seconds. That’s crazy.” Piastri certainly wants to go for his own chances tomorrow. “There are no agreements within the team in that regard. We get to race against each other.” “The only rule is that we don’t run each other off the road,” added Norris.
Norris on pole, Verstappen next to him
From wet to dry, from practice to the real thing. Today’s Qualification of the Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix bore little resemblance to the last free practice in the morning. Not only was it wet during FP3, but due to Logan Sargeant’s accident after 14 minutes, that session ultimately lasted no more than fifteen minutes.
Fortunately, the Qualification in the afternoon took the full 45 minutes. A mistake in Q2 cost Lewis Hamilton his entrance to the finale Q and Carlos Sainz was lost there. The McLarens seemed to be ‘under control’, with Max Verstappen close behind. The Dutchman managed to squeeze between the two McLarens in Q3. This means he will be on the front row tomorrow next to Lando Norris.
Pole #4 for Driver #4 👏👏#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/DJdpyhmvwc
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 24, 2024
A closer look in our garage 🔍#DutchGP 🇳🇱 #F1Academy #FDA pic.twitter.com/nkHthpvjxY
— Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy (@insideFDA) August 24, 2024
Qualifying hype is building up. #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/HMNguYNdgl
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) August 24, 2024
Zandvoort's racing DNA🏁
The number of fluttering finish flags in the streets of Zandvoort this week cannot be counted. No doubt the seaside town has embraced the Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix. The sound of rolling suitcases could be heard incessantly in Zandvoort last days. Fans, employees and volunteers often arrived by train in the cosy village, where you cannot fail to notice that the Dutch Grand Prix is being held for the fourth time this century.
Hotels, recreational parks, guesthouses and B&Bs are full. The Van Speijkstraat, the shortest route on foot from the train station to the circuit, is more like a continuous finish street. It is teeming with black and white checkered flags. In the evening, residents gather together in the garden or on the terrace for a beer and a barbecue, with the sound of fluttering banners in the background. Here and there larger flags and banners hang from the houses, some to encourage local hero Max Verstappen. In many restaurants the Max burger is on the menu and waitresses place a placemat with a finish flag design on the table before your plate is placed on it. Zandvoort breathes motorsport. The village and its inhabitants are proud of their racing DNA and honor their heroes. Zandvoort, home of the Dutch Grand Prix!
“Welcome to day two!” 🌧️#DutchGP 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/R5JAubZs4H
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 24, 2024
WAKEY WAKEY!⛺
The convivial atmosphere in the stands skips effortlessly to the Official 538 Dutch Grand Prix Village. Or the other way around? That’s the question. The fact is that the campsite right next to the Zandvoort circuit is almost impossible to imagine without.
If you take a look early in the morning, you may still find some peace and quietness. After that, it is mostly all bustle and sociability. “In the beginning it took some getting used to the noise and the wind, but actually there is only one word for it: great,” says Maxime from Nieuwegein. She is one of nearly 2,000 camping guests this week with tickets to the Dutch Grand Prix. But there are also campers without tickets. Those are just there for the atmosphere and the parties including deejays from 538. “You know that not much will come of sleeping,” said Joep from Zwolle. “But that’s not a bad thing, you still want to enjoy such a week here to the maximum.”
The Dutch Grand Prix Village has its own catering facilities. Part of the campground is also reserved for volunteers who lend a hand during Grand Prix week. Tents and lodges are already being set up at the campground the week before the Grand Prix. From simple to luxurious, from 2-person to 12-person. In total there are about 400 of them, but you can also bring your own tent. But for almost every Formula 1 fan who sleeps here, the rule is: coziness takes precedence over sleep.
Good Morning, Qualifying Saturday! 👋
Who will secure the best spot on the grid for tomorrow’s race? Take your pick, because it’s Qualifying Saturday! At 10:30 AM, the drivers from Haas, Alpine, Ferrari, and Mercedes will head to the Fanzone for the Drivers’ Q&A. Slightly earlier, the F1 Academy teams, including three Dutch female racers, will start their Qualifying Session. They will also appear on stage in the Fanzone for a Q&A at 1:40 PM.
Qualifications
By 3:00 PM, make sure you’ve found your spot in the stands (or in front of the TV) for the Formula 1 qualifying, followed shortly after by the first F1 Academy race at 5:00 PM. The second race is tomorrow. Oh, and did we mention the nearly non-stop party in the Arena and Main Straight with the Dutch GP Trackshow, featuring Mental Theo among others? The festivities kick off at 5:30 PM in the Fanzone with performances by Marco Schuitemaker, Django Wagner, Davina Michelle, and a closing set by DJ La Fuente!
Weather Update
Expect a few sprinkles. Max Verstappen said earlier this week that it will only make qualifying more exciting. But there’s also a good chance we’ll see the sun. The wind has calmed to moderate from the west. As for the temperature, no complaints: 21 degrees Celsius. Chances of spectacle? 100%!
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