What happened last time out in Zandvoort? A recap of the chaotic 2023 race

'Dutch' scenes at the start

There was no measure of Verstappen in 2023. The combination between the Dutchman and the RB19 was lethal that season and in Zandvoort he started from pole position. The atrocious weather made it difficult for all the drivers early on. All the drivers started on dry tyres, but it started raining cats and dogs from the moment the lights went out at the start.

Verstappen had a good start, but his teammate Sergio Perez went in for intermediates earlier than the Dutchman. This gave the Mexican the lead, and he even managed to extend it. After his pit stop, Verstappen had to close a gap of around 12 seconds to get past his teammate.

Eventually, the track dried up again, which led to all drivers going back in for dry tyres. With the right speed, timing and strategy, Verstappen regained the lead. The second patch of rain proved a nightmare for Perez. The Mexican shot straight ahead in turn 1, as both Sauber drivers Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou also went off, causing the red flag to be waved.

Red flag tests fans' patience

A red flag prevented driving at Zandvoort for a long time, but that did not stop the fans. A football stadium-esque atmosphere could be seen in almost every grandstand. Eventually, the spectators' patience was rewarded and drivers returned to the track with intermediates for the remainder of the race.

In the end, it was Verstappen who crossed the line first. As a result, the Dutchman took home his third home victory in a row. Afterwards, Verstappen was emotional on the podium. Surprisingly, Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly grabbed second and third place in what was an enjoyable race. It doesn't look like we will see a repeat of 2023's podium this year in what has been a completely different season from that of 2023. But, can Verstappen still win his fourth home Grand Prix in a row?

This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon