Welcome to the 15th race of the 2025 season! The summer break has finally ended, and we now head to the Zandvoort Circuit on the shores of the North Sea to kick off the second half of the season. Here’s everything you need to know about the Dutch Grand Prix.
Still in Europe, still a convenient viewing time — but with slightly different schedules. Both qualifying and the race will take place at 21:00 on Saturday and Sunday. I’ll continue to update race recaps as soon as they’re finished, so make sure to follow my channel.
From the current weather forecast, there won’t be extreme heat, but rain is possible throughout the weekend. The track is located right by the coast, so wind conditions could also have an impact. As long as the rain doesn’t become so heavy that the race is suspended, we may be in for a highly unpredictable wet-weather battle.
Track and Tire Choices
The Zandvoort Circuit is 4.259 km long, requiring 72 laps to complete, with 14 corners and two DRS zones. Apart from Turns 5 and 6 — fast, full-throttle sections — most of the circuit is filled with medium- and low-speed corners.
The most famous are Turn 3 and the final Turn 14, with banking angles of 19° and 18° respectively, placing heavy vertical and lateral loads on the tires. Cars will require higher downforce setups, while the track’s low initial grip and coastal winds carrying sand will also make track evolution significant.
Overtaking Opportunities
Because of the narrow layout, overtaking is difficult outside the heavy braking zone on the main straight. Elsewhere, mistakes will be punished harshly as the track lacks large asphalt run-off areas.
Tire Strategy
Pirelli is bringing the C2–C4 compounds (white/yellow/red), one step softer than last year. Pit lane speed will also increase from 60 to 80 km/h this year, adding more flexibility to race strategy.
Storylines to Watch
-
McLaren’s Title Fight: With 10 races left, the intra-team battle between Norris and Piastri is the biggest storyline. Norris trails by just 9 points, bouncing back with 3 wins in 4 races since his Canadian DNF. Piastri remains consistent and steady — Zandvoort’s demands on tire management and error control may play to his strengths. Ideally, their duel will continue into Abu Dhabi.
-
Red Bull’s Home Challenge: The RB21 is track-dependent, excelling at low-downforce circuits like Spa but struggling in Hungary. Team boss Mekies has admitted focus is now on 2026, with only minor tweaks this weekend. Still, Verstappen at home in possible wet conditions makes him dangerous.
-
Ferrari’s Struggles: Long-awaited rear suspension upgrades have disappointed. Floor wear remains a major issue, compounded by high tire pressures. Hamilton is still adapting, while the team is experimenting with mixed-spec setups to balance suspension and floor height.
-
Mercedes on the Rise: Russell’s podium in Hungary suggests Mercedes is regaining form after missteps. He, Verstappen, and Leclerc will continue fighting for podium places in the last 10 races.
-
Midfield Battles: Bottas’s recent points streak and Aston Martin’s upgrades have heated up the fight for P5–P6 in the Constructors’ Championship.
Prediction (Top 5, for fun)
-
Piastri
-
Verstappen
-
Norris
-
Russell
-
Leclerc
Of course, predictions are just for entertainment — feel free to share your top 5 picks in the comments!
🛒 Shop Now & Choose your F1 Model！
