Verstappen bracing for 'temperamental' weekend in Zandvoort

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Max Verstappen will be aiming next weekend for his ninth consecutive F1 win this season, but the dominant Red Bull driver says his home race at Zandvoort could be a soggy affair due to area's forecasted "temperamental" weather.

Verstappen will resume his season with a massive 125-point lead in the Drivers' standings over his teammate Serio Perez.

Barring an unforeseen event, the 25-year-old will in all likelihood celebrate his third world title before the end of F1's 2023 campaign and perhaps as early as the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

In the interim, Verstappen will attempt to uphold his 100% win rate on home ground, having never been defeated at Zandvoort – either in qualifying or on race day – since F1's return to the legendary venue in 2021.

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"The summer break was really good, I had a decent amount of time relaxing with friends," commented Verstappen in Red Bull's Dutch Grand Prix preview.

"I'm excited to get going with the second half of the season now and what better way to start than in the Netherlands."

Verstappen admitted that come rain or shine at Zandvoort, it makes no difference as he'll deal with whatever conditions prevail during the weekend.

"It's an amazing track and of course, the fans are incredible there, so I'm definitely excited to get back on track," he added.

"It looks like the weather could be temperamental there but I don't mind either way, wet or dry, we'll do our best to make sure we score maximum points."

On the other side of the Red Bull garage, a refreshed Perez said that he aims to "pick up where he left off" at Spa last month and capitalize on his run to second in Belgium.

"I’ve been in the factory with my engineers this week, it’s always good to catch up after the break and we’ve done some very good preparation for the weekend and we’re fully ready for it," he said.

"I want to pick up where I left off in Spa and be consistently on the podium and challenging for the remainder of the season.

"Zandvoort will be a tricky race, the field is getting tighter, but we just keep pushing and pushing as a team and will try to give our very best and deliver a good result no matter what the weather does in Zandvoort."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.