The 2023 Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort did not disappoint. The rain effected track conditions on Saturday, but on race day, when it fell it cause pandamonium. For the full story listen to our latest F1 Racing Podcast on your favorite podcast listening channel.
Today we’ll discuss all 21 drivers who got behind an F1 wheel in the Netherlands. That’s right, there were 21 drivers over the weekend, but one unlucky driver, Daniel Ricciardo received a broken hand. But there was some good news as well. Max Verstappen ties the Formula 1 record with 9 consecutive wins.
Max Verstappen
Coming into the Dutch GP, Max had won 8 consecutive races. With a 9th consecutive win, he would tie Sebastian Vettel and Albert Ascari. Seb did it in 2013 and Ascari did it at the end of 1952, into the 1953 season. Ascari and Schumacher are the only two Ferrari drivers with back to back World Championships. But enough about those guys let’s talk about Verstappen. In FP1 he was the fastest by two-tenths of a second. In FP2, Norris barely budged him out by two-hundredths of a second, but in FP3 he returned to form, leading the rest of the grid by three-tenths. In Q3 Max takes pole by more than a half of a second. In the race, he almost gets screwed by some poor tire strategy, but honestly, Max could start from anywhere on the grid and win this year. Martin Garrix waves the checkered flag for Verstappen as he ties the all-time F1 record with 9 consecutive wins. He may not lose a race this season.
Fernando Alonso
In FP1, he records the second fastest time. In FP2, he has one of the top 10 fastest times. In FP3, has one of the top 5 fastest times. In Qualifying, he finishes the session 5th fastest, starting on the third row next to Sainz. In the race, he’s back on the podium, in P2, where he belongs, setting the fastest lap of the race along the way, gaining an extra point. and Fernando Alonso is your ‘Driver of the day’. As voted on by F1 viewers.
Pierre Gasly
In FP2, top 10 fastest times. In the race however, he’s back on the podium for the first time since 2021. He was very fortunate he his team had the right tire strategy and the Perez got a 5 second penalty in the end, but he did drive a spectacular race, even if his Qualifying performance was lack luster.
Sergio Perez
FP1, he had one of the top 5 fastest times. In FP2, he had one of the top 10 fastest times and in FP3, the third fastest time overall. Qualifying got him onto the fourth row, going 7th overall next to Piastri. In the race he was able to take the lead by switching to the intermediate tires after the first lap when a torrential downpour consumed Circuit Zandvoort. Of course a Red Bull team strategy to undercut the other driver, of which he was the target, would go into effect and finishes the race P4, but only because he incurred a 5 second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. Otherwise he would have finished on the podium.
Carlos Sainz
In qualifying manages the 6th fastest time and starts on the third row next to Alonso. During the race he Drove like a well balanced, calm and consistent race. He reacted well under pressure and was able to hold off Hamilton from the end of the last safety car to the end of the race and Hamilton did everything he could to pass his ass in the wet weather, but Sainz held the course and finished P5. Sainz, drove well. He was aggressive, defensive and focused on track last weekend. Has he flipped a switch?
Lewis Hamilton
In FP1, he puts up third fastest time; FP2 one of the top 5 fastest times; FP3 one of the top 5 fastest times; Qualifying he failed to make it to Q3 for the 2nd time this season; Miami and the Netherlands. Despite starting in P13 in the race, he got off the line with speed. Some poor tire strategy kept him from finishing higher and he lost some ground to Alonso in the championship. This is still a work in progress. Week to week is a roller coaster of emotions waiting to erupt, but only tremors are released.
Lando Norris
In FP1, he records one of the top 10 fastest times; FP2 he puts up the fastest time overall; FP3 he sets one of the top 10 fastest times; Qualifying he manages the second fastest time overall and starts on the front row next to Verstappen. He would’ve done a lot better in the race, if it weren’t for some bad tire strategy. He manages to finish P7 after starting on the front row. Missed opportunity for McLaren.
Alexander Albon
In FP1 he records one of the top 5 fastest times; FP2 the 3rd fastest time overall; FP3 a top 10 fastest time; Qualifying, he makes it to Q3 and goes 4th fastest overall, starting in the second row. Similar to McLaren during the race, Williams left Albon on the track when the rain started and lost position. He drove aggressively, shrewd, and defensively when needed. The Williams is good on high downforce tracks, and Monza is that. Keep your eyes watching Albon.
Oscar Piastri
In FP1 he records one of the top 10 fastest times; FP3 one of the top 10 fastest times; Qualifying he finished 8th fastest, started on fourth row beside Perez. In the race he continued to show his comfort in an F1 car, but fell victim to some bad, split second tire strategies. He’s one of the five trending drivers I mentioned last week and that remains true. He started the race P8 and finished P9. He’s become a mainstay in Q3 and finishing in the points. Piastri has a bright future ahead of him.
Esteban Ocon
In FP1, he records one of top 10 fastest times; but in Qualifying he was Out in Q1. He starts the race in P16, and finishes in the points…barely. I’m not sure what’s going on but I know he’s better than this. Let’s hope for a resurgence in the upcoming Grand Prix.
Lance Stroll
In FP2 he has one of the top 10 fastest times and in Qualifying he was out in Q2. It’s obvious Stroll just doesn’t have the same amount of command over his car when compared to Alonso. He starts the race P11 ends right where he started. No points for the race. In the last 4 races he has only managed to put up 3 points towards the cause..and that includes a Sprint race. Meanwhile his teammate has put up 37 points. Just saying.
Nico Hulkenberg
In FP1 he beaches his car in the gravel at turn 13, with 18 min left, and his session was ended In Qualifying, he was out in Q2. He’s failed to finish better than P12 in every race this season, with exception to Australia…way, way back in April and yet I still have to pick him for my fantasy F1 team because by the time I’ve picked all the good drivers, I have to settle for him. I don’t expect much from the Haas team in the coming weeks.
Liam Lawson
In FP3, at turn 13, Lawson hydroplanes, spins a 180, barely taps the low side barrier in the right. It doesn’t look like he has any damage, but he’s facing the wrong way causing the 3rd red flag of the session. In Qualifying, he was out in Q1. This was not a great first race for any rookie. The rain and chaos must have been troubling, but he managed to finish the race ahead of Bottas, his teammate and the gentleman George Russell.
Valterri Bottas
In FP2, he records one of the top 10 fastest times; FP3 one of the top 10 fastest times, but in Qualifying, he was out in Q1. I don’t have much to say here. He has scored 1 point in the past 12 races. I’m not sure it’s the car, I think he’s lost his drive and will be replaced in 2024.
Yuki Tsunoda
In FP1, he puts up a top 10 fastest time; FP2 a top 5 fastest time, but in Qualifying he was out in Q2. I don’t think Tsunoda likes the rain. He starts P17 after being penalized 3 grid spots for impeding another driver during qualifying and finishes the race P15. Let’s see if the rookie, Lawson, has an affect on how he drives next weekend.
Kevin Magnussen
In FP3, he runs into the barrier at the end of turn 3 while trying out the intermediate tires. Prior to this incident, Verstappen nearly did the same thing, but regathered control on the Xtreme wet tires. In Qualifying he was Out in Q1. Magnussen starts from the pit lane after replacing multiple power unit elements and in the race he received a five-second time penalty for falling more than 10 car lengths behind the Safety Car. He starts P20 and ends P16, second to last qualified finishers. Despite the fact he has only scored two points all season, he and his teammate just signed an extension through 2024. Take what you will from that.
George Russell
In FP3, he had second fastest time overall; Qualifying, the 3rd fastest overall, starting on the second row next to Albon. Although he starts on the second row, he ends the race dead last after some very poor tire strategy from Mercedes when the rain hit. He’s been shaky lately, but it looks like the summer break treated the gentleman George Russell well.
Zhou Guanyu
In FP3, he runs into the gravel and gets stuck at turn 13, red flagging the session. In Qualifying he was out in Q1. It’s obvious Zhou has no business racing in the rain. He starts the race P15, but would have been P16 had Tsunoda not been penalized 3 grid spots and he doesn’t finish the race as he wrecks during he second stint of rain and he DNF.
Charles Leclerc
In FP3, he records one of the top 10 fastest times and in Qualifying he puts up the 9th fastest time and started on fifth row next to Sargeant; staying out of the gravel was a challenge for Leclerc this weekend; he went off track four times on Saturday! He barely makes it out of Q1, going 14th fastest. Then he lays into his team about traffic and putting him out there at the right time. He’s not a happy camper. In Q3, with 4 minutes left and currently holding the 5th fastest time, Leclerc under-breaks and destroys his front left suspension as his tire droops like silly putty. One lap into the race, as it begins to race, he pits without any notice, leaving the pit crew scrambling to gather and fit the Intermediate tires. He was rubbing front wings and incurred some damage, or so it seemed as he continued to drop down the grid. It’s assumed that Leclerc received extensive floor damage as a result from running of track so much. He DNF.
Logan Sargeant
In FP1, he records one of the top 10 fastest times and in Qualifying he made it into Q3 for the first time in his career. This is also the first time an American has been in the top 10 starting grid since Andretti did it back in 1993. But as Q3 begins, Sargeant gives it a go on the Soft, slick tires and annihilates his front right suspension as his tire is dangling steer-lessly by smashing into the barrier, not 2 minutes into the session he red flags the sesh. He starts the race on the fifth row next to Leclerc. Although hopes were high early on, he couldn’t manage to keep his car safe. He smashes his ride on lap 16. He DNF.
Daniel Ricciardo
In FP2, Daniel ends his race weekend and maybe beyond as he hits the wall at turn 3 trying to avoid Piastri who had just smashed into the same corner. We find out shortly after that he was being taken to the local hospital. Ricciardo breaks his hand and the Red Bull/AlphaTauri reserve driver Liam Lawson with drive in his place. Is this the end of Ricciardo’s career in F1?