Verstappen expecting overtaking to be 'hard' at Zandvoort

Max Verstappen reckons it will be hard to overtake around Zandvoort next weekend, but the Red Bull driver feels that single lap performance at the legendary venue will prove "rewarding".

Spa was a home race weekend of sorts for Verstappen who was born in Belgium, but the 23-year-old's legion of supporters will converge to Zandvoort for the very first time this week as F1 returns to the Dutch dunes which it last visited in 1985.

Grand Prix racing's return to the seaside track was canceled last year due to Covid, and this year's race was only recent confirmed by the Netherlands' authorities.

But Verstappen is raring to go and hopes the special race will more than make up for last Sunday's debacle at Spa, even if the Red Bull charger was happy to snatch a bag of free points that has allowed him to narrow the gap to Lewis Hamilton in the championship standings to 3 points.

"It’s not how you expect to win a race and not the way we wanted the weekend to go, but a win is a win and the points are still important for both championships and we have to maximise every opportunity," said Verstappen.

"I'm really looking forward to the race at Zandvoort. It will be special to have a race in the Netherlands in front of my home crowd but also as a driver it’s a good challenge to go to a new circuit and find the limit in an F1 car.

"It was amazing to see so many fans supporting us in Austria and Belgium and I hope we can put on a good show for everyone in the grandstands this weekend."

But the local hero admits that he and his colleagues will likely be challenged to entertain the fans by pulling off some spectacular overtakes around Zandvoort's revamped 4.259km layout, one of the highlights of which is the fast right-hand final sweep banked at 18 degrees.

"It might be a little hard to overtake on but for single lap performance I think it’s going to be rewarding," added Verstappen.

"The qualifying laps will be very quick there so any mistakes will be really costly.

"After the race was cancelled last year this year will be even more special and of course it would be amazing to win on another home circuit in front of the Orange Army."

• Read also - Verstappen: Bizarre Spa victory 'not how you want to win'

Verstappen says his experience of his home track is limited to the Formula 3 Masters event in 2014, which he duly won.

"I’ve only done one race at Zandvoort and it was in a Formula 3 car," he said "At that time I was known as ‘the son of’ but it’s going to be the other way around now [laughs].

"The track has of course changed since then, with a few corners adjusted. Already in the F3 car, the corners were really enjoyable, and they were pretty fast so I’m excited to race again in the F1 car with even more grip.

"I’ve also been there a few times with Red Bull for show runs in an old f1 car, so I have driven a few laps on the updated track in an F1 car which could be useful on the first few laps."

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