2023-08-27 19:22:39
Dutchman Max Verstappen, double Formula 1 world champion, won the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, beating Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Frenchman Pierre Gasly.
Published on: 08/27/2023 – 19:22
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And new for Max Verstappen. Still untouchable this season, the Dutchman won his ninth consecutive victory at home in Zandvoort on Sunday August 27, playing with very difficult weather conditions during the Dutch Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen thus equals the number of consecutive victories established by the German Sebastian Vettel in 2013, when the latter was also racing for Red Bull.
The reigning double world champion also increases his lead in the world championship over his teammate Sergio Pérez, 4th on Sunday. He now has, after 13 events out of 22, 339 points for 201 for Sergio Pérez.
“Things weren’t easy today with the weather. We had a good strategy with our pit stops,” said Max Verstappen to the ovations of a crowd all committed to his cause and… soaked. . “The pressure is always constant to succeed and we always want to win,” he continued as he will have the opportunity to break Sebastian Vettel’s record next Sunday in Monza, Italy.
However, he did not leave Zandvoort with a perfect score after his pole position and his victory since he had to leave the lap record to Fernando Alonso, 2nd on Sunday in his Aston Martin. “The car was flying today”, underlined the Spaniard who, at 42, is experiencing a new youth at Aston Martin and occupies 3rd place in the championship behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez.
A capricious weather
The 3rd is a surprising Pierre Gasly, who took advantage at the wheel of his Alpine of a penalty inflicted on Sergio Pérez in the last laps to climb on the podium, bringing balm to the heart of the French team which is going through a difficult period. “What a race! We are trying to improve race after race and I am happy to take this 3rd place”, underlined the Frenchman.
If the start of the race was given on a dry track, the rain immediately began to fall and the pilots had to make the choice to stop or not to put on intermediate tires for the wet.
The first to do so was Sergio Pérez who found himself in the lead ahead of the Chinese Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo), who was not expected at such a party.
However, the rain quickly stopped, this time penalizing the drivers on wet tires and forcing them to stop again. In this little game, it was the inevitable Max Verstappen who took the lead on the 12th lap, ahead of Sergio Pérez and Fernando Alonso.
However, the weather remained capricious, the rain dampening certain parts of the circuit but not others. The American Logan Sargeant (Williams) then violently left the track on the 16th lap, without damage to him but causing the exit of the safety car. This disappeared six laps later, Max Verstappen quickly widening a gap of more than three seconds over Sergio Pérez, still followed by Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly.
But the rain chose the 60th lap to reappear. It was again Sergio Pérez who decided to stop first to switch to intermediate tires while Max Verstappen continued for one more lap which served him well since he kept the race lead.
But Zhou Guanyu lost control of his single-seater which was about to crash into the safety barriers and the race management decided to display the red flag interrupting the event to allow the Alfa Romeo to be released from the Chinese and allow the track to to dry.
A new rolling start was given after approximately 30 minutes of interruption. After two laps under the safety car, the last five laps saw Fernando Alonso trying to get the better of Max Verstappen but without success.
Sergio Pérez received a 5-second penalty, which opened the doors to the podium for Pierre Gasly provided he finished less than 5 seconds behind the Mexican, which he managed to do.
Alpine could also rejoice with the 10th place of its other French driver Esteban Ocon.
At Ferrari, the results are very mixed with a 5th place for the Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr. but a calamitous race for the Monegasque Charles Leclerc forced to retire after a disappointing race.
Also few reasons to rejoice at Mercedes, the seven-time British world champion Lewis Hamilton only finishing 6th and his teammate and compatriot George Russell giving up after a collision with another Briton, Lando Norris (McLaren) who finished 7th.
With AFP
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