Max Verstappen Faces Challenge at Dutch Grand Prix Amid Longest Losing Streak

Posted : 21 August 2024

Max Verstappen heads into the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort facing his longest losing streak in four years, despite having won every Dutch Grand Prix from pole position since its return to the Formula One calendar in 2021. The 26-year-old Red Bull driver, who has not won a race since Spain on June 23, is currently on a streak of just one podium finish since the Barcelona Grand Prix. This weekend will mark Verstappen's 200th Formula One start, making him the youngest driver to achieve this milestone, and he aims to make his home race memorable with a win.

Zandvoort has become a vibrant event for Verstappen’s enthusiastic supporters, known as the Orange Army. However, the current season presents a significant challenge as Verstappen is on a losing streak, with Mercedes having won three of the last four races. Despite leading the championship by 78 points with ten races remaining, Verstappen is eager to return to winning ways after the August break.

Red Bull's Mexican driver Sergio Perez, who has yet to win a race this season, will have a new race engineer, Richard Wood, replacing regular Hugh Bird who is on paternity leave. Perez's performance has been under scrutiny as his struggles have put Red Bull's position in the constructors' standings at risk, with McLaren closing in, only 42 points behind. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri has secured a win and two second-place finishes in recent races, while Lando Norris remains second in the championship despite some errors.

Mercedes has seen a revival with Lewis Hamilton winning two of the last three races, following teammate George Russell's disqualification in Belgium. Hamilton, who is 127 points behind Verstappen, has been the highest scorer over the past four races. Despite the progress, team boss Toto Wolff cautions that Mercedes still has work to do to consistently compete for victories and close the gap to their rivals.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has shown promising form with a pole position in Belgium and a third-place finish, following a fourth-place result in Hungary. With the Monza race coming up immediately after Zandvoort, Ferrari fans are hopeful for a positive turnaround. Meanwhile, Alpine, marking a year since their last podium, will see a change in leadership as Oliver Oakes replaces Bruno Famin as team boss.

Max Verstappen Faces Challenge at Dutch Grand Prix Amid Longest Losing Streak

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics