The drivers had a dramatic weekend at Zandvoort this weekend where Max Verstappen broke former world champion, Sebastian Vettel’s record of a streak of multiple wins. No matter how the weather acted, Max Verstappen consistently won, reinforcing his position as an unstoppable force. A massive number of 105,000 avid fans came to support the Red Bull driver on his home race. But before the race, during the drivers’ parade, some playful activities were taking place behind the scenes.
Lando Norris has recently emerged as a threat to the leading drivers on the grid and was seen warning Verstappen before the commencement of the Dutch Grand Prix. In a video released on Twitter, where the Dutchman was seen conversing with the McLaren driver where the latter indicated that he was going to put on a tough fight “just like Silverstone“. Norris stood next to Verstappen during the British Grand Prix as he took the much reputable second spot.
Here is the video Max Verstappen filmed during the driver’s parade
😅👇#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/PEAFmPI8rB— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) August 27, 2023
The question in mind must be what was so special about Silverstone? It was that race where the Briton overtook Max Verstappen while the first few laps were just in process. However, Norris lost the pace and dropped by one position which he maintained throughout the race. It was a festive day for McLaren as this was one of the best performances the team has put up in recent times.
Max Verstappen’s lead over Norris and other drivers
The Red Bull driver currently stands with a massive 339 points which is 138 points more when compared to his teammate Sergio Perez. This is a clear indication that Max’s championship win is inevitable for the 2023 season and this might be the thought behind the teams preparing for the upcoming season with a new car. The Mexican has been a liability for the team as he failed to put up any better performance during qualifying.
Max Verstappen matches Sebastian Vettel’s record of 9 consecutive wins 👏🏆 pic.twitter.com/AMO4ymXKrQ
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) August 27, 2023
In the closing laps of the race, Perez battled to handle the weather, drifting off the course and losing control. However, he continued to have trouble keeping up with Verstappen’s dominant performance. With six races remaining, the Dutch driver is on track to win his third championship, perhaps on the Suzuka track in Japan again.
The race, in which Verstappen took first place, Fernando Alonso took second for Aston Martin, and Pierre Gasly took third for Alpine, was of a greater standard than much of the racing activity seen this year. The race, however, was not very fruitful for the Mercedes team as well who struggled in the rain. Regardless, Red Bull maintains its lead in the Constructors’ Standings with a staggering 540 points.