Statistics for the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix at Zandvoort, round 15 of the 24-race championship:
The length of each lap is 4.259km, with a total distance of 306.587km to be covered in 72 laps. Max Verstappen from the Netherlands secured the pole position for the 2023 race, completing it in one minute and 10.567 seconds while driving for Red Bull. Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, emerged as the winner of the 2023 race. The current race lap record at Zandvoort is held by Lewis Hamilton from Britain, who set a time of 1:11.097 in 2021 while driving for Mercedes. The race is scheduled to start at 1300GMT (1500 local time).
After a hiatus of 36 years, the Dutch Formula One Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2021. Since its return, Max Verstappen has dominated the race by winning all three editions from the pole position. Zandvoort circuit was established in 1948 amidst the coastal sand dunes, approximately half an hour away from Amsterdam by train. It is renowned for its classic design, featuring fast and flowing corners with frequent changes in direction. Overtaking can be quite challenging on this circuit, placing great importance on qualifying positions.
The final two corners of the track have a steeper angle compared to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Additionally, the pit lane at Zandvoort is the shortest among all the circuits, measuring only 235 metres in length. With 14 corners, the narrow and twisty layout of Zandvoort makes it the second shortest track on the Formula One calendar. The Dutch Grand Prix consists of only six fewer laps than the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix. Moreover, drivers spend only 55% of each lap at full throttle.
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, holds the impressive record of 105 career victories out of 346 starts. This season, four teams – Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes – have each secured a race win, marking the highest number of winning teams since 2021 when Red Bull, Mercedes, Alpine, and McLaren all triumphed. The current season has seen an impressive feat of seven different drivers standing on the top step of the podium, the most since 2012 when there were eight different winners.
Red Bull is currently experiencing a four-race winless streak, which is Max Verstappen’s longest drought since 2020. On the other hand, Mercedes has emerged victorious in three of the last four races. Verstappen himself has claimed victory in seven out of 14 races, while other drivers such as Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, Lando Norris of McLaren, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, George Russell of Mercedes, and Hamilton have also tasted success in races throughout the season. Additionally, Oscar Piastri of McLaren secured a win in Hungary.
Unlike Red Bull, both Ferrari and McLaren have celebrated wins with both of their drivers. Red Bull’s total tally of race wins stands at 120, placing them fourth on the all-time list. Ferrari leads the pack with 245 wins, followed by McLaren with 185 and Mercedes with 128. Verstappen’s individual achievement includes winning 61 Grand Prixs, positioning him third on the all-time list. Michael Schumacher holds the second spot with 91 wins.
As for pole positions, Hamilton holds an astounding record of 104 career poles. His most recent pole position was achieved in Hungary in July 2023.
Max Verstappen has secured a total of eight pole positions this year, with the first seven achieved consecutively at the beginning of the season, matching Alain Prost’s record from 1993. Additionally, he has claimed eight consecutive poles, including the final race of 2023, equaling Ayrton Senna’s achievement in 1988-89.
In Monaco and Belgium, Charles Leclerc achieved pole position, while George Russell was the fastest in Canada and Britain. Lando Norris claimed the top spot in Spain and Hungary.
As for podium finishes, Verstappen has an impressive career total of 107, while Lewis Hamilton holds the record with 201. In the current season, Verstappen has reached the podium nine times, Norris eight times, Leclerc six times, and Carlos Sainz five times.
A significant milestone awaits Verstappen as he prepares for his 200th Formula One start on Sunday. He will become the youngest driver to achieve this milestone at just 26 years and 330 days.
It’s worth noting that Alpine’s last podium finish occurred a year ago when Pierre Gasly secured third place at Zandvoort. Furthermore, Liam Lawson from New Zealand made his F1 debut at Zandvoort last year, substituting for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri (RB).
