2023 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Verstappen quickest as red flag fly three times in wet final practice | 2023 Dutch Grand Prix…
The championship leader’s best time of a 1’22.010 on intermediate tyres near the end of the session, three tenths of a second ahead of George Russell with Sergio Perez third-fastest.
26th August 2023, 11:49
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Verstappen was not immune from the low-grip conditions as he slid off at turn 11 to make a brief trip over the gravel. However, when the chequered flag came out, he remained in the top spot of the order to be the fastest driver in the wet session ahead of Russell.

Perez was third-fastest in the second Red Bull ahead of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in fifth. Alexander Albon was sixth for Williams with Piastri seventh ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Charles Leclerc, who ran off at turn one two more times in the final minutes. Norris completed the top ten in the second McLaren.

‘Red flag fly three times’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/26/...inal-practice/


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
26th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 1:21.631
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.379
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.000
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.003
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.092
6. Alex Albon Williams Racing +1.119
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.261
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.334
9. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.462
10. Lando Norris McLaren +1.527

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-...and-prix-83041


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from third practice for the Dutch Grand Prix
26 August 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...FAweBFqgy.html


F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2023 - Final Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
26th August 2023, 10:41
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-dut...e-live-updates


F1 - Verstappen tops wet final practice in Zandvoort as red flags fly
26.08.23
FIA (Press Release)

Max Verstappen topped the timesheet ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in a wet final practice session for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix in a session interrupted by three red flags periods.

With heavy rain in the morning, the final hour of practice got underway in thoroughly wet conditions, providing AlphaTauri reserve Liam Lawson with an even greater challenge as he set about preparing for his first grand prix in place of Daniel Ricciardo who broke a bone in his left hand in a crash during second practice.

The 21-year-old New Zealander was one of the first drivers on track, on full wet tyres, and he gingerly made his way around the 4.2km of Zandvoort as he got to grips with an unfamiliar car and track. It was Max Verstappen who was almost caught out by the conditions, however. The championship leader, also on full wets, put a wheel on the white line at the top of Turn 3 and was lucky to control the resulting slide towards the barriers.

‘Red flags fly’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-verstapp...-red-flags-fly


Verstappen back on top as CHAOS takes over in Dutch Grand Prix FP3
Saturday 26 August 2023 12:48
Anna Malyon
GPFans

A series of chaos and three red flags in FP3 saw Max Verstappen head back to the top despite narrowly avoiding a crash during the session. Despite the McLaren’s fighting for top spot, Verstappen, George Russell and Sergio Perez finished in the top three.

Despite things quickly undergoing again, the challenging wet conditions proved problematic for several drivers, including Charles Leclerc who had a close call with the wall.
Zhou Guanyu found himself in trouble as he ended up in the gravel trap, forcing another red flag. This mishap occurred as he lost grip at turn 13, resulting in a spin after losing control of the rear of his car.

‘CHAOS takes over in Dutch Grand Prix FP3’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-fastest-2023/


Three red-flag incidents in wet final Dutch GP practice
26th August 2923, 11:56
By Jack Cozens
The Race

Max Verstappen went comfortably fastest in a wet final practice for the Dutch Grand Prix, as Liam Lawson completed 23 laps in his first session as a Formula 1 driver, which included a red-flag inducing spin.

Key moments:
> Verstappen and Russell a step ahead of the rest
> F1 debutant Lawson causes red flag with recoverable spin
> Lawson’s off was red flag three after Magnussen and Zhou

The session only really came alive in the final 20 minutes once the worst of the rain had cleared, allowing the 18 cars still in final practice at that point to fit intermediate tyres. Drivers had split their limited running in the 40 minutes beforehand, in which Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu both caused red flags having spun, between the wet and intermediate tyres as rain initially intensified at Zandvoort.

‘Max Verstappen went comfortably fastest’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/three...h-gp-practice/


Ricciardo replacement Lawson causes RED FLAG on debut during Dutch Grand Prix FP3
Saturday 26 August 2023 12:28
Luis Raya
GPFans

Liam Lawson spun in his first Formula 1 session during FP3 of the Dutch GP, causing the third red flag of the session. The New Zealander, who was called in as an emergency replacement for Ricciardo at AlphaTauri following his Friday crash, made his debut on Saturday in challenging conditions with a wet track.

In a session aimed at familiarising himself with the car, Lawson lost control of his vehicle, briefly touching the wall and ending up facing the other direction, resulting in a red flag. The New Zealander rejoined the session shortly afterward.

‘Liam Lawson familiarising himself with the car’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...rand-prix-fp3/

[Fortitude]

F1 Dutch GP qualifying results: Max Verstappen takes pole at Zandvoort.
Verstappen will start ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren) and George Russell (Mercedes) in Sunday’s race after the one-hour qualifying session on Friday, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.
26th August 2023, 15:37
By: Charles Bradley
Motorsport.com

What happened in Dutch Grand Prix Q3? The track was ready for slicks at last, with Albon setting the pace at 1m15.743s before team-mate Sargeant crashed heavily at Turn 2, causing a red flag.

After a lengthy delay, McLaren took a 1-2 at the resumption with Norris ahead of Piastri on 1m12.049s, with Verstappen three tenths in arrears. But another red flag was required soon after when Leclerc understeered off into the tyrewall at Turn 9.

The session restarted with four minutes to go, with Verstappen lowering the bar to 1m10.567s. Norris got to within 0.537s of that, with George Russell going third for Mercedes, ahead of Albon, Fernando Alonso (Aston), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Piastri, Leclerc and Sargeant.

‘F1 Dutch GP qualifying results’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...ppen/10511780/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
26th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):

Q3
1.Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:10.567
2.Lando Norris McLaren +0.537
3.George Russell Mercedes +0.727
4.Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.852
5.Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.939
6.Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.187
7.Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.313
8.Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.371
9.Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +2.098
10.Logan Sargeant Williams Racing +6.181

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying...and-prix-83047


Live coverage: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix
26th August 2023, 13:47
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...BXWNEbEtE.html


F1 Live - Dutch GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
26th August 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Dutch Grand Prix Qualifying Watchalong F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J29dgdKHkaY


Verstappen storms twice red-flagged Q3 to take Dutch GP pole
Aug 26 2023
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen took pole position on home turf at the Dutch Grand Prix after triumphing in an incident-packed Q3 shootout that featured two red flags.

Charles Leclerc took too much speed into Turn 9 and went off the road into the barriers with four minutes of Q3 remaining, bringing out the second red flag of Q3 and grounding himself to ninth in qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton was the big-name Q2 elimination as he went out in 13th, less than a tenth away from Q3. He was followed by AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hulkenberg who was slowest of all in Q2 as he was eliminated in 15th place, albeit still only just under two tenths adrift of Q3.

‘Pole position on home turf’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verst...dutch-gp-pole/


Lewis Hamilton embarrassed by Logan Sargeant and expresses concerns over Dutch GP
Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in Q2
15:07, Sat, Aug 26, 2023
By Mikael McKenzie
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton crashed out of qualifying in Q2 and will start the Dutch Grand Prix in 13th place after being embarrassed by Sargeant's success came at the expense of Hamilton, who fell out of the top 10 when the Williams man put his time on the board. Mercedes have struggled all year and their woes don't look likely to improve any time soon.

Hamilton is concerned that he may struggle to make it into the points during the race. He said: "I did two fast laps at the end and the tyres overheated so I couldn't improve on the last lap.”

"I have got the same car as in qualifying which wasn't really good. Hopefully when the car is a bit heavier I will be able to progress forward but this is not an easy track to move forwards on. Tomorrow is a new day and I will give it my best."

“I couldn't improve on the last lap”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ilton-Mercedes

[Fortitude]

Winners and losers from the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen set pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix for the third successive year in a rain-affected qualifying session at Zandvoort.
26 Aug 2023 7:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Winners - Max Verstappen: It really does help that his home race just happens to be held at a circuit almost perfectly suited to Verstappen’s driving style.
Lando Norris/McLaren: When – if – Red Bull’s golden run ends, Norris and McLaren are best placed to take advantage.
Alex Albon/Williams: Where has this come from? Williams’s strong performances in Montreal and the new-look, high-speed Melbourne earlier this season were not entirely unexpected, but small, twisty, max-downforce Zandvoort?

Losers - Lewis Hamilton: Following Lewis Hamilton’s latest early exit, at least one Mercedes has failed to reach Q3 in eight of the 16 qualifying sessions (including sprint shootouts) held so far in 2023.
Charles Leclerc: Feast or famine, sunshine or showers, pole or pitiful.
Logan Sargeant: When Haas dropped Mick Schumacher at the end of last season, the team were open in admitting that they just couldn’t afford his constant crashes against the backdrop of F1’s cost cap.

Oscar Piastri: Oscar Piastri has picked a bad time to suffer the first truly difficult – let’s call it character-building – weekend of his F1 career
Sergio Perez: Having qualified four tenths off his team-mate in the dry in Hungary, Perez was 0.9s adrift of Verstappen in both Friday qualifying and the sprint shootout at Spa. He hit a new low at Zandvoort, where he will start six places lower than the Red Bull team leader having gone 1.3s slower in Q3.

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/wi...ix-qualifying/


The key talking points to come from Dutch Grand Prix qualifying.
Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix provided plenty of excitement on Saturday.
16:59 Sat, 26 Aug 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Varied grid a positive sign for F1 competitiveness: Yes, Max Verstappen's dominance is obviously not the most entertaining spectacle in the world, but there are plenty of positive signs about the state of the sport in behind him.
Williams shine: As mentioned, Albon did a brilliant job for Williams on Saturday and his team-mate also had a fine afternoon, in the main.

Charles Leclerc makes fresh error: There's no denying Charles Leclerc's brilliant speed and pace but on Saturday we saw his latest mistake which led him to slamming into the barriers and out of Q3.
Disappointment for Lewis Hamilton: Hamilton was in a positive frame of mind as we headed into this weekend… … continued to cut an upbeat figure after Friday practice and so he is going to be naturally disappointed with the way his Saturday went, with him revealing after the session that he lost some confidence in the car today compared to how he was feeling in it on Friday.

George Russell returns to good qualifying form: Russell has, deservedly, earned the moniker of 'Mr Saturday' thanks to his qualifying performances both at Williams and Mercedes during his time in F1.

‘Plenty of excitement on Saturday’;

https://www.givemesport.com/the-key-...ix-qualifying/


Verstappen chasing another record and Lawson’s F1 debut – What To Watch For in the Dutch Grand Prix
26 August 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

1. Verstappen chasing another record: The 2023 season has been a record-breaking one for Red Bull already, with the team becoming the most successful in terms of consecutive victories. But another record – currently held by one of their former drivers – is within touching distance for Max Verstappen on Sunday.
2. Albon hunting a big result from the second row: Directly behind Norris is a driver who was certainly not expecting to be lining up on the second row this weekend.

3. Hamilton fighting back through the field: One thing that the statistic of six different constructors on the first three rows suggests is a mixed-up order where some quick cars are out of position – and one of those is Lewis Hamilton.
4. Lawson’s debut: After qualifying 20th – a respectable 1.4 seconds away from Q2 – on a still-wet track, Lawson will now tackle his first ever Grand Prix start on a particularly challenging circuit, as the multiple incidents so far this weekend have shown.

5. More rain on the way: There have been a number of races this season that have come with a threat of rain at some point, and we’re facing more of the same at Zandvoort this weekend.

‘What To Watch For’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...UA1IDidM7.html


Lando Norris assesses chances of beating Max Verstappen to Dutch GP win
McLaren once again proved their credentials at a high-downforce circuit
August 26, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Verstappen eyes ninth straight F1 win after another Dutch GP pole. Norris second fastest
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Toronto Star

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Red Bull driver Max Verstappen produced a typically strong final lap to take pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix on Saturday for the third straight year.

‘Ninth straight F1 win’;

https://www.thestar.com/sports/auto-...cee4b48be.html


Toto Wolff questions ‘odd’ Sergio Perez deficit to Max Verstappen: ‘Checo’s not an idiot’
26 Aug 2023 6:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has no logical explanation for the alarming performance gulf between Red Bull team-mates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, which stood at 1.3 seconds after Dutch GP qualifying.

And Wolff cannot fathom how a multi-time grand prix winner in Perez can be so far adrift of Verstappen when driving the same Red Bull RB19. “Odd, bizarre,” said Wolff of that gap when speaking to media including PlanetF1.com following qualifying.

“Checo’s not an idiot. We have seen in all these years Checo is a grand prix winner, multiple grand prix winner, and he was at Racing Point, so I cannot comprehend [it]. We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team-mate that was with him, whether it’s his ability to create a car around himself, that is just very tricky to control but fast if you can, and that creates those gaps, the 1.3.”

‘Checo’s not an idiot’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...appen-gap-odd/


‘Tricky’ Dutch GP awaits Perez after qualifying strategy error
17:42 Sat, 26 Aug 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez will once again have to work his way through the field if he hopes to threaten his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in the Dutch Grand Prix. Perez had to settle for seventh on the grid after a chaotic final qualifying session on a constantly evolving track surface at Circuit Zandvoort.

“It was quite disruptive, with the amount of time we waited in the garage, obviously the sun was out at that time but it was quite hard to know how much it has dried up and when we went out,” the Red Bull driver said.

“I think we probably took the wrong strategy in regards to making a double warm up lap, well a double push lap. I think we took too much out of the tyre but as always you know the better strategy after the session. Anyway we are P7 and tomorrow the main target is to have a strong start and then go forwards from there.”

‘Tricky’ Dutch GP awaits Perez’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...trategy-error/


Logan Sargeant devastated after Q3 crash ‘overshadows’ Dutch GP breakthrough
26 Aug 2023 10:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Sargeant was thrilled to reach the final segment of qualifying for the first time – and deeply regrets the way his session ended. He told Sky F1: “It was difficult, the tyres were going away but the track was drying.”

“It wasn’t the cleanest, most perfect lap [in Q2] but I was able to get just enough out of it to get to Q3 which was nice. I feel like it’s been a great weekend until that mistake, really close to where I needed to be in full dry conditions yesterday, great long run pace – just all overshadowed by one tiny, little mistake.”

‘Thrilled to reach the final segment of qualifying for the first time’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-...h-gp-q3-crash/


Dutch GP: Standout qualifying for Williams Racing
August 27 2023
By Williams Racing

After several promising practice sessions the Williams Racing Team went into qualifying for the 2023 Dutch GP feeling positive about their chances. But the results would be way above their expectations as we for the first time since 2017 had both cars into Q3.

‘Way above their expectations’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205034.htm


F1 Live - Dutch GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Aug 27, 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Dutch Grand Prix Race Watchalong F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDBiNntEgl0

[Fortitude]

Verstappen seals Dutch GP win hat-trick as late rain causes chaos.
Max Verstappen secured a record equalling ninth victory in a row at his home Dutch GP, as rain showers at the start and finish of the race prompted a host of position changes up and down the grid.
August 27, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

While Verstappen managed to get past and lead, a late safety car to clear the crashed Alfa Romeo of Zhou Guanyu led to some nerves in the garage, with the restart delayed for over 40 minutes as the rain poured down at Zandvoort.

The Dutchman managed to hold off the challenge of Fernando Alonso to take his third consecutive victory at his home race, but Perez was unable to hold onto third as he was handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane before the red flag.

That promoted the Alpine of Pierre Gasly to third, securing the team’s second podium finish of the season, with the Mexican down in fourth ahead of the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, who fended off the challenge of Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race.

‘Dutch GP win hat-trick/Record equalling ninth victory in a row’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...te-rain-chaos/


Race Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
27th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 72 laps
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +3.744
3. Pierre Gasly Alpine +7.058
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +10.068
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +12.541
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +13.209
7. Lando Norris McLaren +13.232
8. Alex Albon Williams Racing +15.155
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +16.580
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine +18.346

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-83063


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
27 August 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...v3aibbgZJ.html


F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2023 - Race Day: LIVE UPDATES!
27th August 2023, 13:06
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-dut...y-live-updates


F1 Live - Dutch GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
27th August 2023.
Racing Statistics

‘F1 Live Dutch Grand Prix Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDBiNntEgl0


Verstappen matches Vettel record with Dutch GP win in the rain
27th August 2023, 16:33
By Philip Duncan
Evening Standard

Max Verstappen navigated his way through a chaotic and dramatic rain-hit Dutch Grand Prix to equal Sebastian Vettel's record of nine victories in a row. Pole-sitter Verstappen found himself down in 13th place after seven drivers - including Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez - took advantage of a sudden first-lap downpour to move on to wet tyres.

The Dutchman regained the lead on lap 13 of 72 only for the race to be red-flagged with just eight laps to run after Zhou Guanyu crashed out following a second heavy shower.

A 43-minute suspension followed as the tyre barrier at the opening corner was repaired.But Verstappen beat Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso in a six-lap dash to the chequered flag to match Vettel's streak, set in 2013.

‘Verstappen matches Vettel record’;

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/b1103217.html


Verstappen equals Vettel’s win record in chaotic Dutch GP
Aug 27 2023
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen survived a late-race restart in a chaotic rain-affected Dutch Grand Prix to walk away with his record-equalling ninth successive Formula 1 grand prix win. A torrential downpour with just over 10 laps to go forced the drivers to switch from slicks to inters for the second time in the race.

The resulting tricky conditions caught out Zhou Guanyu, whose Alfa Romeo went skating off at Turn 1 that quickly led to a red flag. After a delay of just under an hour the race resumed with six laps of proper racing, the field having completed two laps under the safety car. Verstappen led at the restart with Fernando Alonso keeping him honest and looking for any way to grab his first win for over a decade.

He remained within a second for the first couple of laps but then had to turn his attention to the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez behind him. Perez’s main focus was building a gap to Pierre Gasly behind, however, as he picked up a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pitlane.

‘Verstappen equals Vettel’s win record’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verst...otic-dutch-gp/

[Fortitude]

Record-equalling 9th win in a row for super Verstappen.
Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen celebrated a record-equalling ninth successive victory after winning a rain-hit and red-flagged Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday for the third year in a row.
Last Edited August 27, 2023 | 11:53 PM
Reuters Zandvoort, Netherlands
Gulf Times

The Red Bull driver’s home triumph from pole position at a soggy Zandvoort equalled now-retired four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 run of success with the same team.
It was Red Bull’s 14th consecutive triumph and 13th of the season, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza following next weekend.

Rain brought chaos at the end of lap one, with a further dry period followed by a downpour that swept in from the North Sea to halt proceedings for 40 minutes on the 65th of 72 laps with cars skidding off.
Fernando Alonso put Aston Martin back on the podium with second place and a bonus point for fastest lap after the eventual rolling re-start behind the safety car led to a thrilling final chase at the seaside circuit.

Pierre Gasly was third, his first podium finish since he joined Renault-owned Alpine, as Red Bull’s Sergio Perez collected a five-second post-race penalty for speeding in the pit lane and dropped to fourth. Verstappen now leads Perez, his closest rival, by a mighty 138 points with nine races remaining. Red Bull lead Mercedes by 285 points with Aston Martin 40 points further back and 14 ahead of Ferrari.

‘Record-equalling 9th win’;

https://www.gulf-times.com/article/6...per-verstappen


VERSTAPPEN ‘INCREDIBLY PROUD’ AFTER CLAIMING HIS NINTH CONSECUTIVE VICTORY IN 2023 AT THE DUTCH GP
The Championship leader equalled former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive race wins in a season at Zandvoort
August 27, 2023
Darius Needham

Verstappen came into the weekend knowing that a victory would see him equal Formula 1 history. The Dutchman gave himself the best chance of achieving this feat after he claimed pole position in Qualifying by nearly sixth tenths of a second.

After the race, Verstappen spoke to formula1.com as he reflected on a great performance in front of his home crowd at Zandvoort. “It’s incredible. Also today, they didn’t make it easy for us with the weather to make all the time the right calls. I’m incredibly proud.”

“I already had goosebumps when they were playing the national anthem before the start. Even with all the bad weather, the rain, the fans were still going at it, so an incredible atmosphere.”

“I’m incredibly proud”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ve...-the-dutch-gp/


‘It’s something I never thought was possible’ – Verstappen on equalling Vettel’s consecutive wins record
27 Aug 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen won the Dutch Grand Prix to equal Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine F1 victories in a row. After the race he said such a feat isn’t easy – even if you have the best car. “It’s easy to trip up, make a mistake or go off – but we didn’t."

“Never thought was possible”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...444329373.html


Max Verstappen wins Dutch GP, equals Vettel with F1 record 9th straight victory
Rainy weather equaled a chaotic Grand Prix race
Aug 27th 2023 at 1:51PM
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen won a rain-marred Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday to equal Sebastian Vettel's F1 record of nine straight victories, and increased his huge championship lead to 138 points as he races toward a third straight world title.

The Red Bull star clinched his third straight win from pole position at the Zandvoort track, with veteran Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain finishing second and picking up a bonus point for the fastest lap. “Nine in a row is something I never even thought about. Very happy with that," Verstappen said. “I know I have a car which is capable of a lot."

The orange-clad home crowd pumped him up. “I already had goose bumps when they were playing the national anthem before the start. Even with all the bad weather and the rain the fans were still going at it, an incredible atmosphere," the Dutch driver said. “I’m going to enjoy this. It’s always tough, the pressure is always on to perform.”

“I already had goose bumps”;

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/08/27/...TN_VHH5SARUNjL


Verstappen takes latest F1 record in his stride
Monday 28th August, 2023 - 10:40am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“It was probably one of the more difficult races to win,” said Verstappen, who now has 46 overall to his name. “Nine in a row was something I never even thought about, so yeah, very happy with that, but in general, very happy to win here in front of my own crowd.”

In terms of eulogising over a remarkable feat when you consider this is the 74th season in F1’s history, and yet only two drivers have managed to win nine in a row, that was as good as it got from Verstappen. Suggested to Verstappen that the race was the ultimate example of how hard it can be to keep a winning streak going, he replied: “Yeah, absolutely, I mean, even if you have the best…

“I think there have been more dominant cars in the past than we have at the moment, and they haven’t been able to do so, to win nine in a row, whatever, the consecutive wins we have as a team. So it is hard, and especially like this race, it’s easy to make a wrong call, or even drop it yourself in the gravel or whatever. It’s never that straightforward, unfortunately.”

‘In terms of eulogising over a remarkable feat’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/28...1-wins-record/


Max Verstappen equals Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 streak of success with Dutch Grand Prix victory
Verstappen’s 11th victory of the season, and 46th of his career, provided another big push towards clinching a third title well before the end of the season
Published 28.08.23, 10:26 AM
The Telegraph, Calcutta

Formula One leader Max Verstappen celebrated a record-equalling ninth successive victory on Sunday after beating the rain to win a chaotic and red-flagged Dutch Grand Prix for the third year in a row.

The Red Bull driver’s home triumph from pole position at a soggy Zandvoort equalled now-retired Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 streak of success and was the team’s 14th consecutive triumph and 13th of the season.

‘Big push towards clinching a third title’;

https://www.telegraphindia.com/sport...in/cid/1962064


Horner explains "no-brainer" pit call which jumped Verstappen past Perez | 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
18:49 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Verstappen arrived in second place behind Perez and soon reduced his team mate’s lead to less than three seconds. “Checo then had the target to pull a gap on the cars behind him,” Horner explained, “but Max’s pace as he came through the field was such that I think at one point he took seven seconds out of him in three laps, and was coming very fast.”

At that point, on the 12th lap of the race, Red Bull brought Verstappen in to put him on slick tyres. Perez came in the next time around, but as Verstappen had lapped quicker on his fresh tyres he gained the lead of the race from his team mate. Perez asked his team on the radio whether Verstappen had undercut him and was told he had. Horner said the team decided to pit Verstappen before his team mate, despite the possibility it would cost Perez the lead of the race, because they were concerned other drivers who had already switched to slick tyres might get ahead of him.

“Alonso and, I think, Gasly behind him had pulled the trigger and pitted,” Horner explained. “And you could see from Albon suddenly the circuit was coming alive for the slicks. Had we pitted Checo first, they would have both undercut Max, so we’d have gone from a net one-two to a net one-four. So we pitted Max first with the risk being that he’d undercut Checo but we’d end up as a team as first and second. So it was a no-brainer.”

‘ "No-brainer" pit call’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/27/...en-past-perez/

[Fortitude]

Alonso thrilled with podium return at Zandvoort as he says Aston Martin car was ‘flying’ in tricky conditions.
Fernando Alonso was full of positive words about the handling of his Aston Martin as the Spaniard and the team returned to the podium positions with a run to second in a chaotic, rain-hit Dutch Grand Prix.
27 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

“It was a very intense race,” said Alonso, who gained a spot when Sergio Perez spun off before the late red flag. “Obviously at the beginning, with the wet conditions, we were very, very fast, and we stopped maybe one lap too late, but the same as the leaders.”

“The car was flying today, very competitive, very easy to drive. In these conditions you need a car that you can trust, and I did trust the car a lot today, I did enjoy.”

“Thanks to all the fans, the energy that we have here in Zandvoort is very unique. Two years ago, when this race came [back to the calendar], I thought I will never experience the Zandvoort podium, because I was not in a position to think about that.”

‘EL PLAN: Thrilled with podium return’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...dJ0sWAnEm.html


F1 2023 Dutch GP – Fastest Lap
Max Verstappen took a record equalling ninth victory in a row in a chaotic rain-soaked race.
August 27, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Fernando Alonso secured the extra point for fastest lap at the Dutch GP on his way to finishing second behind the record breaking Max Verstappen, who took his ninth consecutive victory of the season in a chaotic race dominated by rain.

Verstappen eventually overtook Sergio Perez after opting not to pit in the early stages of rain, and maintained his lead, even as a late safety car appearance—triggered by Zhou Guanyu’s crashed Alfa Romeo—ratcheted up the tension in the Red Bull garage.

The weather at Zandvoort, a coastal venue beside the North Sea, is notoriously unpredictable, and the rain proved to be a game-changer for many drivers. Lando Norris, who decided against pitting in the early stages of the race for intermediate tyres, saw his position plummet.

‘EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso secured the extra point for fastest lap’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...p-fastest-lap/


DRIVER OF THE DAY: Alonso gets your nod after scintillating Zandvoort drive
27 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso was in a typically feisty mood as the Dutch weather threw everything at Zandvoort. The two-time world champion came through it all to finish just 3.7s behind race winner Max Verstappen and put Aston Martin back on the podium for the first time since Canada back in June. He also took the fastest lap to boot. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Fernando Alonso - 20.9%
Alex Albon - 14%
Max Verstappen - 10.9%
Pierre Gasly - 9.1%
Lewis Hamilton - 9%

‘EL PLAN: Scintillating Zandvoort drive’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...olWDtNme2.html


Fernando Alonso convinced he ‘can’ match Max Verstappen’s ‘underestimated’ achievement
28 Aug 2023 6:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso believes the key to Max Verstappen’s success is his ability to be at “100 percent” more often than his rivals, but that doesn’t mean the Spaniard can’t achieve similar success himself.

“I think to win in such a dominant matter in any of the professional sports, it is so complicated. So to be at the same level of him, obviously, we have a lot of self-confidence, drivers in general, so I do believe that I can do as good as well. I don’t know about Lewis, but me, yes! And Lewis as well, and everyone.”

“I think you need to enter in a mood, in a state that you are connected with a car. I think on days like today, I felt that I was at my best and have been giving 100% of what I felt and my abilities on a racing car, but maybe in Spa I was not at that level or in Austria or something like that.”

‘EL PLAN: “100 percent” more often than his rivals’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...mated-success/


FACTS & STATS: Alonso beats Schumacher record for longest first-last podium interval
27 August 2023
Sean Kelly
Virtual Statman
Formula One - Official Site

• With P2 today, Fernando Alonso secured his seventh podium of 2023 and extended his gap over Hamilton in third place in the championship (they were separated by one point before today).

• That P2 for Alonso breaks Michael Schumacher's F1 record (7,399 days) for the longest interval between first and last career podium finishes (Alonso's first podium was Malaysia 2003).

• With his P2 combined with fastest lap, Alonso has now scored more points for Aston Martin in the first 13 races this year (168) than he did in his previous two seasons at Alpine (162).

‘EL PLAN: Alonso beats Schumacher record’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...RluRxn9hz.html


Alonso feared for Zandvoort escape with late Verstappen move
27 August 6:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso joked he would not have been able to leave Zandvoort if he attempted to overtake Max Verstappen for the lead of the Dutch Grand Prix.

“It is one of those races when it is difficult to concentrate and stay focused for such a long period of time,” said Alonso, who secured his seventh podium of the season and first since the Canadian Grand Prix.”

“I think this is a very special race track. I’m happy for Max. I did think about trying a move at the last restart but then I thought maybe I couldn’t exit the circuit. So I stayed calm in second.”

‘EL PLAN: “I stayed calm in second”;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-wou...erstappen-move


Alonso “thought maybe I can’t exit the circuit” if he attacked Verstappen at restart
Posted on 27th August 2023, 17:08
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso says he was wary of lunging at Max Verstappen in the final laps of the Dutch Grand Prix after finishing second behind his rival. “This is a very special race track with all the fans and the energy going on, so you feel always very focussed,” said Alonso. “I did think about trying a move in the last restart [on Max], but then I thought maybe I cannot exit the circuit, so I stayed calm in second.”

“Two years ago when this race came I thought I will never experience maybe the Zandvoort podium because I was not in the position to think about that,” he said. “And today it’s going to be very special to share the podium with Max and Pierre.”

He started from fifth on the grid, but gained ground early in the race when he was one of the first drivers to pit following a rain shower which hit the track on lap one. “It was a very intense race,” said Alonso. “Obviously at the beginning with the wet conditions we were very, very fast.”

‘EL PLAN: Alonso “thought maybe I can’t exit the circuit” ’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/27/...en-at-restart/

[Fortitude]

Gasly hails ‘massive motivation boost’ for overhauled Alpine after ‘insane’ run to P3 at Zandvoort.
Pierre Gasly was full of smiles at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix after landing Alpine’s second podium finish of the season and his first since the 2021 campaign in a dramatic, rain-hit encounter at the Zandvoort circuit.
27 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Gasly started Sunday’s race in 12th position but made the most of the tricky conditions to jump up the order and mix it at the front, having benefitted from an early switch to intermediate tyres when rain arrived on the first lap.

While he ultimately crossed the line in fourth, Gasly’s result became third when Sergio Perez’s five-second time penalty was applied for speeding in the pit lane – backing up team mate Esteban Ocon’s podium in Monaco and his recent Sprint rostrum in Belgium.

“It feels good! I must say, it feels good,” said Gasly, who last finished on a Grand Prix podium in Azerbaijan in 2021. “Especially at the start of the season, I felt like we were pretty unfortunate on a number of occasions and we were like, ‘Okay, there’s nothing we can do, just keep pushing, focusing on ourselves and improve what we can and what we have in our hands’.”

‘Massive motivation boost’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...ybNkEh71M.html


Pierre Gasly 'pretty upset' and rubs salt in Sergio Perez wounds after snatching podium
Pierre Gasly crept onto the podium after Sergio Perez was hit with a penalty
16:46, Sun, Aug 27, 2023
By Mikael McKenzie
Daily and Sunday Express

Pierre Gasly says he was "pretty upset" to be hit with a five-second penalty early on in the Dutch Grand Prix, but he felt the score was settled when Sergio Perez received the same punishment a few laps before the end of the race, handing the Alpine star third place.

"I was pretty upset I had a five-second penalty earlier in the race, so I thought it was 1-1," Gasly said. "Then I pushed as hard as I could to stay within five seconds and managed to do it. It was a very long race, very challenging from start to finish."

'Pretty upset';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...tch-Grand-Prix


'Upset' Gasly overcomes punishment for podium
27 August 6:03PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

The Frenchman hailed his Alpine team for its race execution after finishing third at Zandvoort. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly praised his team for "great execution" after securing a stunning third place at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The Frenchman started 12th on the grid at Zandvoort but made the most of a chaotic opening to the race, where rain fell midway through the opening lap, to make his way up the grid - assuming third behind Sergio Perez and Zhou Guanyu after the early pit stops filtered through.

"I was pretty upset that I got a five-second penalty earlier in the race so I was like 'now it is one-one [after Perez was given his punishment]. Then obviously I tried to push as hard as I could to stay within five seconds and I managed to do it. It was a very long race managing from start to finish - it was great execution from all the guys."

'Now it is one-one’;

https://racingnews365.com/upset-gasl...ent-for-podium


Gasly: Dutch GP podium shows Alpine in "right direction" after F1 manager exits
19:14 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Pierre Gasly has said his podium in the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix is further proof the Alpine Formula 1 team is heading in the “right direction” following its management turmoil. The result marks Alpine’s second top-three classification in as many rounds, with Gasly also ranking third in the Belgian sprint race.

This brace of headline results follows immediately after team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane - an Enstone veteran of 34 years - parted company following differences of opinion with senior management at owner Renault over the squad’s direction. Chief technical officer Pat Fry is also off to Williams.

He told French broadcaster Canal+: “We need to keep working, keep improving the car and work this way until the end of the year. I'm glad to see that things are falling into place within the team, we're learning to work better and better together. It's going in the right direction, and we proved it again today.”

‘Further proof’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/g...xits/10512547/


Third place in grand prix “feels a lot better” than in a sprint race – Gasly
2023 Dutch Grand Prix
Posted on 27th August 2023, 19:27
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Pierre Gasly said he was very satisfied to take his first podium finish for Alpine after suffering a number of setbacks since joining the team. “It’s obviously very satisfying when you get a reward for the work that we are all putting in, in the team,” he said. It is Gasly’s first podium finish since the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “Last year with AlphaTauri we were nowhere near a podium finish at any point, we just didn’t have the speed,” he said.

“I think this year we came close in Monaco, running in third position and it was clearly a missed opportunity with the extra stop which wasn’t necessary. But it’s sort of season where you’ve just got to keep trying again and again and there’s going to be a point where things are going to click and today it did.”

Gasly rose from 12th on the grid to finish on the podium. He was one of seven drivers who pitted as soon as rain started to fall on the first lap, which helped him move up the order. “It was probably the most challenging race of the year,” he said. “There were a lot of obstacles, there were many moments where we could have got it wrong but as a team we just tried to maximise that.”

“Feels a lot better”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/27/...nt-race-gasly/


Gasly: Dutch GP podium proves Alpine 'going in the right direction'
27/08/2023 at 20:03
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Pierre Gasly claimed his second top-three finish in as many races on Sunday, the Alpine driver following up his third place in Spa's sprint event last month with a proper podium in the Dutch Grand Prix after a spirited drive in challenging conditions. While Gasly never put a foot wrong in the race – save for his pitlane transgression – his decision to pit at the end of the first lap for a switch to the inters when the rain set in also proved well-inspired.

"We had to make extremely important decisions," he said. "Coming out of the last corner on lap one, I immediately understood that there was a big opportunity for us, so I asked the team to pit straightaway, and it paid off. Then, we had a car that worked well today; I managed to fight with the Ferrari, to stay rather close to Alonso.”

"Many things happened, but you had to stay calm. I am really happy with the team's work and what they achieved." On the other side of the Alpine garage, Esteban Ocon also enjoyed a solid drive through the field from P16 on the grid to the race's final point, making it a double top-ten finish for the French outfit.

‘Second top-three finish in as many races’;

https://f1i.com/news/484956-gasly-du...direction.html


Gasly details tumultuous first year with Alpine
28 August 10:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Competitive mindset key for Gasly: "I'm super competitive, I need competition in my life," Gasly exclusively tells RacingNews365. "After a week [off], I'm already [feeling] like I want to go on track with these guys and get my elbows out. It is such a unique feeling that you have [driving the car] that you can miss it very quickly.”

"That's why in my time off, I've got to find competition every single day. It is quite tiring for my friends as I'll non-stop be challenging them at paddleball, at volleyball. We will go to the beach, and I can't lie down, I need to challenge someone with a beach racquet.”

"I just need this in my life, I am able to switch off and enjoy the time to mentally recharge, but I will always have this competitive mindset."

‘Tumultuous first year’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-deta...ar-with-alpine


Exclusive: Pierre Gasly finally finds the fortune he has been searching for
28 Aug 2023 9:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Luck can be the most elusive part of a driver’s arsenal. With it, points, podiums, wins or even championships could be on the cards. Without it and it can seem like the world is collapsing around you.

A sprint podium in Spa was little consolation for a year that had incorporated multiple DNFs and left him trailing his team-mate. In his hour of frustration, Gasly welcomed the summer break. “Give me two days and I will forget how to drive,” he exclusively told PlanetF1.com inside the Alpine hospitality, days out from the Dutch Grand Prix.”

But even if Gasly was able to cleanse his mind of racing, the competitive nature was still here. “I’m super competitive so I need competition in my life,” he said. “After a week already I was like ‘f###, I want to go on track with these guys’ you know, get my elbows out. It’s such a unique feeling that you have that you miss it very quickly.”

‘Pierre Gasly finally finds the fortune’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/exclus...finds-fortune/

[Fortitude]

Perez: Tyre saving call behind Verstappen pace deficit in F1 Dutch GP.
Asked by Motorsport.com to explain the delta, Perez said: "We were expecting rain, the team was telling me that there was more rain coming.”
18:33 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Sergio Perez reckons Red Bull needing him to save his intermediate tyres is why Formula 1 team-mate Max Verstappen could cut his early 2023 Dutch Grand Prix lead in half. Perez reckons this significant pace differential was largely down to a need to save his intermediate tyres on a drying track as Red Bull warned that more rain was on the way.

Asked by Motorsport.com to explain the delta, Perez said: "We were expecting rain, the team was telling me that there was more rain coming. The track was on the dry side, so if I were to push, I would just have destroyed completely the inter tyre." Had rain arrived as anticipated, Perez reckoned he could have held onto first place for longer.

Motorsport Reader Comment:
Jonathoan Stevens (jonno)
In reply In reply to Mannes Karsten
He was asked to drive that slow.
He didn’t know Max was not asked to drive slow.
He expected the team to make a call to keep him in the lead.
He didn’t know that the team would undercut him as leader.

‘He was asked to drive that slow. He didn’t know Max was not asked to drive slow’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/p...h-gp/10512486/


Perez QUESTIONS Red Bull strategy after losing out to Verstappen
Sunday 27 August 2023 19:57
Luis Raya
GPFans

Sergio Perez took to team radio during the Dutch Grand Prix to question Red Bull's strategy after Max Verstappen undercut him to take the lead at his home race. Red Bull then decided to call Verstappen in for a pit stop first on lap 12, while he was in P2 and just over two seconds behind his team-mate.

Perez pitted a lap later, but the improving track conditions caused the Mexican to come out behind the Dutch driver, who executed a textbook undercut. In disbelief, Perez had a radio exchange with his team, asking: "Did Max undercut us?" The blunt reply of: "Yes, Max undercut us," was issued back by his engineer.

Later on in the race, there was another bizarre strategy call when the Mexican was told to box for full wet tyres, just before what looked like an increasingly likely red flag. Moments later, the red flag was confirmed, yet thankfully for Checo, positions were counted back from the previous sector, meaning that he was able to regain his third position.

‘Perez QUESTIONS Red Bull strategy’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ions-strategy/


Red Bull’s logic for Verstappen/Perez undercut: Does it stand up?
18:27 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen may have walked away with his third successive Dutch Grand Prix victory as expected but his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez had a genuine advantage of around 15 seconds over him at one stage. Red Bull brought Verstappen in first for the switch to slicks and by the time Perez had swapped one lap after Verstappen, he emerged behind his team-mate.

Perez appeared confused on team radio when he came back out in second – “did Max undercut us?” he asked bewildered. So how did he feel about it after the race? What was Red Bull’s explanation for bringing the lead car in second – and was it unfair on Perez?

‘There’s absolutely no way the same logic would have been given had the positions been reversed’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/red-b...h-gp-undercut/


Christian Horner grilled after suspicions of Max Verstappen favouritism at Dutch GP
27 Aug 2023 5:38 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner allayed any fears that Red Bull had intentionally undercut Sergio Perez with Max Verstappen at the Dutch Grand Prix, explaining that Verstappen’s out-lap pace even caught the team by surprise.

Horner said: “He made a great first call to get in early, he was one of the first to get on to the inters, the next call he made, he made at the pit entrance, so of course the team weren’t ready for it, but it was reacting to the weather and we were still able to turn it around.”

“He was just desperately unlucky because it looks like he got the fine for speeding in the pit lane when he came into the pits before the red flag, and he’s hit the pit wall up there which is why the repairs were taking place on his car and hence the pickup of the five-second penalty. He was probably actually surfing at that point as opposed to speeding, but very harsh for him and he deserves very much to be on the podium today.”

‘Christian Horner grilled’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...laim-dutch-gp/


Horner apologises to Perez over pit-stop DEBACLE
Tuesday 29 August 2023 06:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

In all of the chaos of the second heavy downpour during the Dutch Grand Prix, Perez was brought into the pits to change onto intermediate tyres. Unfortunately for him, the late call on the weather had meant that the team weren't ready to receive the Mexican, which resulted in a 10 second pit-stop.

After the race, Horner spoke to Perez on the team radio, apologising for the error. "I apologise, the tyres weren't ready on time due to a last-minute call," Horner noted. "We were significantly delayed in the pit lane due to the chaos. Nonetheless, your performance today was excellent and very consistent."

‘Pit-stop DEBACLE’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...bull-pit-stop/


‘It’s a shame’: Sergio Perez speaks out on Red Bull controversy
Sergio Perez has publicly questioned Red Bull following the 2023 Dutch GP, which Max Verstappen won.
28 August 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Intrigue unfolded at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix as Sergio Perez voiced uncertainty regarding Red Bull Racing’s tactical choices, leading to a shift in fortunes that saw Max Verstappen seize the lead, leaving Perez grappling with mixed emotions. Amidst the drama of the latest Formula 1 showdown, Sergio Perez found himself in the spotlight due to Red Bull’s strategic manoeuvres.

Closing the gap by an impressive 13 seconds in a mere few laps, Verstappen’s presence loomed large in Perez’s rearview mirrors before both were directed to make their respective pit stops. Perez offered insights into the decision, stating, “We were expecting rain. The team was telling me that there was more rain coming. So, it was very important because the track was on the dry side. “If I were to push, I’d have just destroyed the inter.”

‘It’s a shame’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/its-a-sha...l-controversy/

[Fortitude]

Carlos Sainz’s worrying Ferrari admission: ‘We had the sixth fastest car this weekend’.
Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari slipped back to being the sixth best team at the Dutch Grand Prix despite his strong fifth-place finish.
29 Aug 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sainz held onto fifth at Zandvoort on Sunday, resisting late pressure from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Despite having track position, Sainz was overtaken by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, and more surprisingly, the Alpine of Pierre Gasly, who ultimately finished on the podium.

“I would say after looking at the Alpine more the sixth fastest car this weekend,” Sainz said. “But yeah, when you’re going into a race and going into yesterday’s quali that we were just lacking this weekend, and we had to focus in maximising a good result or a decent result and we did that today.”

“Even in the last stint when I knew I had one set of inters left to put on for the last seven laps and the tyres were destroyed from yesterday’s quali, I still managed to keep Hamilton behind and bring home a P5 that was honestly not on the cards, I think.”

‘We had the sixth fastest car this weekend’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103441...st-car-weekend


Williams “on par with Ferrari and Aston Martin” at Zandvoort – Albon
2023 Dutch Grand Prix
Posted on 28th August 2023, 14:4328th August 2023, 14:45
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

After matching his career-best qualifying result, Williams’ Alexander Albon converted fourth on the grid into eighth in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix. “I think we were on par with the Astons and Ferraris this weekend,” he reckoned. “We did that first stint and in the whole stint we maybe lost two seconds to the Aston and the Ferrari in front of us. And we were on 15-lap, 10-lap older tyres than they were.”

He was in sixth during his second stint and thinking “this is perfect” before he was informed more rain was on its way. Williams waited before pitting again, and Albon thought he had timed it well until the rain meant he “was crawling in the last four corners”. That allowed McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell to get ahead of him.

“It happens,” said Albon. “It’s one of them things where it feels like we finished today slightly disappointed that we didn’t finish sixth, but we still finished eighth, it’s still an amazing result for us. We’ve been here on pace this weekend, there’s no mistake about it. It’s been our strongest weekend, it’s the best I’ve felt in the car in my time at Williams and there’s so many positives to take from here.”

“It’s been our strongest weekend,”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/28/...ndvoort-albon/


Dutch Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc forced to retire, Max Verstappen unstoppable
Published on 28 August 2023
By Romain Boisaubert
Monaco Tribune

For Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), there was damage to his front wing after a little encounter with Oscar Piastri’s McLaren on the opening lap of the race, which left him short on pace throughout the Grand Prix. The race came to a premature end for the Monegasque, who was forced to retire on lap 42.

A Grand Prix that Charles Leclerc will want to forget, and which he intends to make up for quickly. Next up is the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 3, where the tifosis are expected to be very vocal.

Charles Leclerc: (…) I can’t wait to get to Monza and feel all the support, given how difficult the season has been. We’ll do our best. It’s one of the most difficult tracks of the year in terms of the car’s balance. But at Monza, we’ll have a different package.”

‘A Grand Prix that Charles Leclerc will want to forget’;

https://www.monaco-tribune.com/en/20...n-unstoppable/


Sainz excelled when Ferrari might not have even scored.
Aug 29 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Carlos Sainz has moved into a championship position he does not ascribe much value to: fifth, the same place he has finished in each of his seasons as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver. It wasn’t something to celebrate last year when team-mate Charles Leclerc finished runner-up in a much more competitive campaign.

In fact, even this season, Sainz isn’t exactly doing cartwheels about the fact finishing fifth in the Dutch Grand Prix has moved him above Leclerc and Mercedes driver George Russell in the points.

He was, however, rightly very pleased with the performance. It’s the (you guessed it) fifth time this season he’s finished a race fifth, his second-best result. Nothing spectacular, right? Except it came on probably Ferrari’s least competitive weekend of 2023 – beaten by five teams in qualifying and looking only sixth-fastest (at best) in the race.

‘Sainz excelled when Ferrari might not have even scored’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/sainz...e-even-scored/


Ferrari in Need of ‘Restructure’ for Team Turnaround – Leader
August 29, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

La Gazzetta dello Sport called it a “shameful” performance, while Corriere dello Sport was in agreement, terming it a “very dark weekend” for Ferrari. La Stampa further weighed in with: “Ferrari at rock bottom.”

Some analysts speculate that Ferrari’s conspicuous absence of speed over the Dutch GP weekend resulted from an ill-advised selection of aerodynamic equipment.

Vasseur told Sky Italia when asked if he’s been handed a problematic team: “We have to do the best possible job with what we have right now.”

‘Restructure’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/ferrari-in...around-leader/


Can Ferrari bounce back from latest disappointment in front of the Tifosi at the Italian Grand Prix?
29 Aug 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

A look at the main talking points heading into the final European F1 race of the season at the Italian Grand Prix. Can Ferrari give the Tifosi something to celebrate?

Ferrari head into their home event at Monza on the backfoot following a disappointing Dutch Grand Prix. While Carlos Sainz came away from Zandvoort with a respectable fifth-place, it didn’t tell the whole story as a number of teams (McLaren and Mercedes) failed to capitalise on their pace advantage.

Sainz made a startling admission after the Dutch GP that Ferrari had the sixth-fastest car, even slipping behind Alpine as Pierre Gasly finished on the podium. It’s highly unlikely that Ferrari will be as slow at Monza, given that Charles Leclerc was able to finish third at Spa before the summer break - another low downforce track.

‘Bounce back’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/103...t-front-tifosi


Ferrari pins hopes on all-new F1 car — but does it know what it's got wrong?
August 29th 2023
Author: Tony Dodgins

Eighteen months ago, as F1’s new ground effect regulations came in, Ferrari and Charles Leclerc were duking it out with Red Bull and Max Verstappen at the front of grands prix. Today, Verstappen and Red Bull are enjoying an RB19 that is setting new records as one of the most dominant cars in the sport’s history.

It works everywhere: high downforce, low downforce, low degradation, high degradation, whatever speed range you care to choose. Unsurprisingly, Milton Keynes is hard at work on a 2024 car that is an evolution. Why would it be anything else? Ferrari, by contrast, is all over the place. And nowhere demonstrated that better than Zandvoort. The men in red aren’t even on the same page.

Ferrari’s head of chassis, Enrico Cardile: “It’s crystal clear what we did wrong with the car,” Cardile said in Holland. “The weaknesses are clear. It’s not a matter of understanding what we should do. We are not in nowhere land. We know what we have to do. It’s a matter of doing it.”

‘The men in red aren’t even on the same page’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

Wolff admits 'CATASTROPHIC' mistakes as Mercedes miss golden chance.
“I think we stayed out catastrophically too long," Wolff said to Sky Sports. "We got it completely wrong. It’s annoying because the car had really [good] pace. From there on, it was just recovering as good as we could.”
Monday 28 August 2023 21:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Toto Wolff admitted that Mercedes made critical errors that cost them a better result at the Dutch GP. Lewis Hamilton fought back from 13th on the grid to claim sixth while George Russell ended up out of the points after late contact with Lando Norris.

But in a race with changeable conditions, Wolff was left frustrated that the Silver Arrows made the wrong decisions with strategy. The race pace was impressive for both Russell and Hamilton, but they failed to score the points they perhaps warranted.

‘Wolff admits 'CATASTROPHIC' mistakes’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ophic-mistake/


Wolff slams ‘subpar’ Mercedes strategy calls in Dutch GP
08:56 Tue, 29 Aug 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“I think we stayed out catastrophically too long. We got it completely wrong,” Wolff told Sky Sports. “We will review thoroughly. The situation is never one person or one department. It is the communications between driver, pit wall, strategy, weather and then all of us taking decisions.”

“That was absolutely subpar from all of us, and that includes me. It’s good when it hurts. When it stings, it sticks. It’s annoying because the car had really [good] pace. And then, from there on it was just recovering as good as we could,” Wolff explained.

‘Wolff slams ‘subpar’ Mercedes strategy calls’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...s-in-dutch-gp/


Wolff: 'Subpar' Mercedes got Dutch GP strategy 'completely wrong'
28/08/2023 at 08:18
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Toto Wolff says Mercedes paid the price in Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix for its "subpar" communication and "catastrophic" strategy decisions. Rain pummeled down on the field of competitors at Zandvoort shortly after the start, half-way through the opening lap.

Those who opted to immediately switch from slicks to intermediates were rewarded for their move, but on the Mercedes pitwall the consensus was that the sudden shower that had rolled in from the sea would not last.

The Brackley squad subsequently delayed the stops of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell until laps 3 and 4 respectively, a decision that would prove costly for the two drivers. Hamilton dropped to last but was eventually able to battle his way back to sixth, while Russell who had qualified an impressive third saw his hopes of a podium blown into oblivion.

‘Hopes of a podium blown into oblivion’;

https://f1i.com/news/485093-wolff-su...ely-wrong.html


Wolff laments 'monumental' Mercedes error
28 August 5:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Teammate Lewis Hamilton was also told to stay out and dropped down to P20 when he eventually pitted on lap four, with rivals that had made the switch lapping much faster. Mercedes did not see this on the timing screen according to Wolff, who after Hamilton picked up sixth at Zandvoort told Speedweek: "It was a monumental mistake that we made at the beginning.

"Our car has pace and then it didn't work at all between weatherman, the drivers and the strategy. Me included." Mercedes took feedback from its drivers in the opening stages but failed to notice lap times that were over 20 seconds slower than lead Intermediate runner Sergio Perez, who had pitted at the end of the first lap and made his way to the lead by lap four.

"We did not see that Perez had brought out such a gap," said Wolff. "The weather came so fast, much faster and stronger than expected, all our predictions didn't see that. Now we have to look at it and clarify why this happened. We would have had a car that could have driven at the very front. But that doesn't exist in sports, it doesn't help."

‘Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff: W”e did not see that Perez had brought out such a gap" ’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-lame...zandvoort-rain


Mercedes lick wounds after worst result yet in 2023
20:41 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
The Straits Times

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands - Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff promised a thorough review after Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix turned into the former champions' worst race yet of the 2023 Formula One season.

The eight points scored marked the first time this season that Mercedes had failed to take at least double figures from a weekend.

"I'd rather have a fast race car and a mediocre result even if it hurts," said Wolff. "We saw at the end on the inters George had (Red Bull race winner) Max (Verstappen's) pace and Lewis was very strong behind (Ferrari's Carlos) Sainz...It's still bittersweet because the result is just really bad.”

‘Mercedes lick wounds’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...lt-yet-in-2023


Wolff says Russell's thoughts about loss of form 'a myth'
29/08/2023 at 16:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff says George Russell's belief that he has lost his form is "a myth" that the Mercedes boss is making every effort to remove from the Briton's psyche. "I’ve never bought into this thought," Wolff told the media last weekend. "When you and I are having a bad day nobody knows but if a driver has a bad day and he’s probably a tenth off, that makes all the difference in the qualifying.”

"So all drivers have days that are not so good and we’ve seen these ups and downs with George but the quality of driver I’ve never doubted a minute. [In qualifying] he was able to shine, put the car on P3, had a problem-free qualifying and no traffic so I haven’t seen any pattern change."

Nevertheless, as Russell questions the moment, Wolff is doing his best to fend off the demons surrounding his driver. "I’m trying to really bang it into his head that he hasn’t lost his form, that it is just the myth that he’s making up," said the Mercedes F1 boss.

‘Just the myth that he’s making up’;

https://f1i.com/news/485223-wolff-sa...rm-a-myth.html


Toto Wolff's Italian GP outlook a worry after Lewis Hamilton's bold Max Verstappen claim
Lewis Hamilton left the Dutch Grand Prix positive after climbing seven places to finish in the points, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff does not appear to share the Englishman's optimism
07:53, 30 Aug 2023
By Jacob Leeks Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Toto Wolff has moved to dampen expectations of Mercedes' performance in Monza this weekend after a mixed Dutch Grand Prix. The F1 circus travels to Lombardy for the Italian Grand Prix following a thrilling race in Zandvoort which saw rain, red flags and a record number of overtakes. Silver Arrows star Lewis Hamilton was able to stay calm in the chaos to secure a sixth-place finish.

“It didn't start off that well, but I'm pretty happy with the drive that I did to get back into the points and get sixth. It could have been higher for sure, if we made the right decision at the end of the day," Hamilton said. "We should have pitted [straight away] but we didn’t. We paid the price for that, and we did our best to come back.”

“I feel like today was redemption, in the sense of it was terrible yesterday. I managed to dial the car in a bit better today and overtook a bunch of people. To start 13th, I was dead last at one point, to get back up to sixth, I'm happy with that. I think today I had the pace [for the podium]. I was on pace with Max in the race, but we were just out of position.

‘Toto Wolff has moved to dampen expectations’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...italy-30818494