Three weeks on from the final race weekend in Budapest, it’s race week once more because the 2025 season will get set to renew. The groups have all needed to decide to a two-week shutdown throughout August, however needs to be raring to go when the paddock reconvenes at Zandvoort.
Driver market motion
The driving force market is uncommon this 12 months, given the actual fact there are such a lot of confirmed seats for 2026 already. That’s a byproduct of the size of contracts that had been already in place, but in addition a wider want to have continuity in race seats from this 12 months to subsequent, with the intention to not need to combine a brand new driver similtaneously a significant regulation change.
The bizarre facet is the actual fact there’s a new workforce getting into in 2026, and so they need to put in place a whole new driver line-up.
Cadillac would be the eleventh workforce on the grid subsequent season, and have been linked with a long list of drivers. Nearly all of them embody these with current F1 expertise, however there have additionally been rookies and IndyCar winners which have been talked about in reference to the brand new entry.
Rumours {that a} resolution is shut have been gaining momentum through the summer time break, and we may quickly discover out who the primary pairing for Cadillac might be. Whoever they decide, it will likely be a easy case of enlargement, with two new seats and subsequently two additional drivers attending to race subsequent 12 months.
The title battle resumes
Fourteen races down, 10 to go. The summer time break would possibly typically really feel just like the midway level within the calendar, however in lots of senses it is a pause earlier than the run-in. The ultimate two European rounds are about to kick off, and after the double header of Zandvoort and Monza we might be heading into the ultimate third of the season.
Whereas no single Grand Prix pays extra factors than another, the nearer you get to the top of the season the extra the strain appears to ramp up, and every race feels that bit extra essential.
For the 2 McLaren drivers who’re the clear favourites for the title this season, the summer time break is prone to have been a welcome spell of day without work earlier than the resuming hostilities, even when the battle hasn’t been notably hostile up to now.
Oscar Piastri arrives in Zandvoort with a nine-point advantage over workforce mate Lando Norris, nevertheless it was Norris who received final day out in Budapest and in addition delivered a very strong performance to dominate last year’s Dutch Grand Prix, successful by over 20 seconds as Piastri ended up fourth.
However there was one other clear step ahead from the Australian in his third season in F1, and there may be typically little to decide on between the 2 McLaren drivers by way of tempo. Who comes out on high within the first race after the break is prone to be all the way down to small particulars as soon as once more, and in such a detailed battle you by no means understand how essential any given weekend may find yourself proving.
A celebration crowd hoping for some magic from Max
Till that dominant win for Norris final season, Zandvoort had been the area of Max Verstappen, who received the primary three editions of the Dutch Grand Prix because it returned to the calendar in 2021.
Verstappen all the time enjoys big help at his dwelling race, with a sea of orange greeting him, together with a raucous ambiance on the North Beach.
Whereas these followers might have arrived with a way of expectation in earlier years, this time round it’s prone to be extra in hope, as Verstappen has not completed on the rostrum prior to now 4 races this season. With simply two wins to his identify in 2025, he doesn’t arrive because the favorite for as soon as.
But there may be nonetheless purpose for Verstappen followers to be optimistic, with a Sprint win in Belgium breaking apart that lack of a podium, and the Dutchman proving on a number of events that he can threaten on the entrance if the automobile is to his liking.
It would doubtless want one thing particular in Qualifying to open up the chance, however you may by no means rule the four-time World Champion out.
A reset for Ferrari and Hamilton
2025 has been a difficult 12 months for Lewis Hamilton up to now, together with his transfer to Ferrari seeing him having to settle into a brand new surroundings for the primary time in 12 years.
There have been apparent highs – together with a Sprint victory in China – that trace on the potential of the partnership, and so they seemed to be making some good progress forward of the summer time break as he was more and more aggressive in comparison with workforce mate Charles Leclerc.
However these positive aspects didn’t result in agency ends in the 2 races in Belgium and Hungary, and the latter noticed Hamilton notably downbeat after he dropped out in Q2 and was unable to attain some extent after he and the workforce gambled on a distinct technique in an try to get well.
In some ways, the break may properly have come on the excellent time, permitting Hamilton – who is usually very arduous on himself – to realize a little bit of perspective on the efficiency potential he has proven. Nonetheless, after being so annoyed in Budapest, each he and Ferrari may do with a clear race at Zandvoort to begin to construct some constructive momentum once more earlier than an enormous weekend at Monza.
Mercedes drivers awaiting extensions
Apart from the Cadillac driver line-up, the opposite workforce which have had a big concentrate on their pairing this 12 months have been Mercedes.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are but to obtain affirmation that their contracts might be prolonged – or at the least that affirmation has not but been made public – following a summer time the place discussions with Verstappen additionally made headlines.
Given the constantly excessive stage that Russell has carried out at this 12 months, and the clear potential Antonelli has proven that he has, it might be a significant shock if there have been any adjustments at this level, however till signatures are on contracts then there may be all the time a slight probability of one thing sudden taking place.
Russell admitted in Hungary that it wasn’t a very reassuring time having to attend for affirmation of his future, and if there isn’t a announcement previous to the paddock arriving in Zandvoort then it may stay a big speaking level over the weekend.
