The present residence of the Dutch Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2021 after modifications for contemporary Formulation 1 equipment, however has hosted 34 world championship occasions. Because the 2025 season resumes at Zandvoort, Haas driver Esteban Ocon is your information to the two.646-mile observe.
“The primary time I raced right here was in DTM. So it was the outdated configuration – mainly the identical format, however no banking in Flip 3 and the final nook. So the final nook was way more of a problem again then, and Flip 3 was a unique line. There was additionally no runoff in Flip 3, so that you had been crashing and you did not have the elevation, to cease you going there.
“However right away once I got here right here, I assumed, ‘OK, that is an superior observe!’ In DTM, it was superior as a result of it was nearly flat in Flip 7, and that did not actually change from then.
“It’s an old-school observe, like we like them. And I feel for as soon as these new adjustments have made it even higher. It isn’t usually the case – after we put new curbs in and stuff like that, the tracks lose character and I am not the most important fan of that. However this observe hasn’t accomplished that, in order that’s good.
“I feel it could have been doable to race right here with out the banking, however it could have been in all probability even tougher to overhaul. And doubtless would have been much less fascinating in Flip 3 at the beginning too, as a result of now you may get a few totally different strains when earlier than there was just one.
“So you wouldn’t in all probability have seen overtakes in Flip 3 – or not as a lot – however I do not suppose it could have modified the world. I imply, they raced within the ’70s and ’80s right here, so it’s doable.
“We do not get banking usually. We actually do not get it as extreme as we have right here. And Flip 3 is a really totally different problem to the ultimate nook as effectively. It is fairly loopy. Particularly while you go there strolling, you simply cannot go to the highest very simply. For the American followers, it is like Daytona, the place they can not additionally climb to the highest.
“I do know it’s fewer levels [18 degrees angle at Zandvoort, 31 at Daytona], however what’s fascinating is you could get so many alternative strains. I do not suppose you ever get it completely each lap, as a result of you might have a option to enter the banking which may be very slender as a window, and if you’re a bit too far in, you may have the within wheel locking and never have all of the corners on the bottom.
“When you enter too early as effectively, you aren’t positioned the best way it is best to. And the upper you go, the extra grip you might have. So it is extremely fascinating nook and possibly probably the most troublesome of the 12 months, technically.
“In Flip 3, it is compressing you numerous. There’s a approach the place when it compresses you, you are feeling prefer it’s getting into the fitting route. Mainly, it signifies that the grip’s coming properly and you could flip extra to exit – it is like a ramp while you exit it. You simply take extra of the slope and you are taking pace while you go right down to exit, which is actually cool.
Zandvoort’s banking promotes plenty of totally different strains, which Ocon says makes for some fascinating technical challenges. Andrew Ferraro/Getty Pictures
“The ultimate nook is simply simple flat. If it was like a flat floor, it could in all probability not be doable to make use of DRS. It could be flat, however not with DRS.
“From a setup perspective, I’d say it is the identical compromises as you might have in every single place else, actually. There is no such thing as a particular setup when it comes to camber or stuff like that that you’d get in some oval racing as a result of we now have just one limited-grip nook. All the remainder of the observe, you might want to set the automotive up usually.
“You’re fairly fastened on the cambers anyway when it comes to Pirelli laws – you may’t actually go above what they inform you. So you’re sporting the skin of the tire a bit extra in comparison with a standard observe, I’d say, particularly the final nook. However that does not change the world.
“I just like the observe. I actually, actually get pleasure from it. I feel it’s extremely troublesome in moist climate – prefer it may very well be this weekend – which is an efficient factor as a result of it is good for the followers and it is good total to be right here and having alternatives like this.
“Nevertheless it’s not probably the most enjoyable observe within the moist. The grip degree is kind of low for some purpose. There’s excessive observe evolution within the dry, however for some purpose, the intermediate tires right here will not be the very best.”
AT A GLANCE
Race distance: 72 laps/190.5 miles
2024 pole time: 1m09.673s (Lando Norris, McLaren-Mercedes)
2024 winner: Lando Norris, McLaren-Mercedes
Pirelli tire allotment: The compounds in play would be the C2 because the exhausting, the C3 because the medium and the C4 because the comfortable. This choice is one step softer than that delivered to the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix.
Drivers will get two units of the exhausting tire (C2, marked white), three units of the medium tire (C3, marked yellow) and eight units of the comfortable tire (C4, marked pink), in addition to entry to the inexperienced intermediate tire and the blue full wets, ought to they be required.
HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX WEEKEND SCHEDULE (all instances ET):
Friday, August 29
6:25am – 7:30am – First Follow, ESPN2
9:55am – 11:00am – Second Follow, ESPN2
Saturday, August 30
5:25am – 6:30am – Third Follow, ESPN2
8:55am – 10:00am – Qualifying, ESPN2
Sunday, August 31
8:55am – 11:00am – Dutch Grand Prix (72 laps or 120 minutes), ESPN
