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Keeping tabs on qualifying ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix
After the extended summer shutdown, Formula 1 is back this weekend with the Dutch Grand Prix.
And all eyes will be on Max Verstappen.
That is certainly nothing new, but the Red Bull driver is staring down F1 history. Verstappen enters the weekend having won eight-straight races, one shy of the mark set by Sebastian Vettel back in 2013. With a victory at Zandvoort, Verstappen would tie Vettel’s mark of consecutive victories, and take another massive step towards his third-straight Drivers’ Championship.
But Verstappen is not the only storyline to watch this week. Red Bull senior advisor Dr. Helmut Marko added yet more fuel to the fire regarding Sergio Pérez’s job security with the team. While Pérez is under contract through the 2024 season and seemed to be rounding back into form with his P2 at the Belgian Grand Prix, Marko opened the door to speculation about Pérez’s status with the team for next season, outlining how nothing in F1 is “100 percent certain.”
Then there are the teams chasing Red Bull, or more accurately, chasing Mercedes behind them in second place. Can Aston Martin bounce back? Can McLaren continue their recent form? Does Ferrari have an answer for their inconsistency?
Finally, how will Liam Lawson fare in his F1 debut? Lawson was tapped to slide into the cockpit of Daniel Ricciardo’s AT04, after Ricciardo’s unfortunate crash in FP2 resulted in a broken wrist for the driver.
Those questions, and more, will find some answers today. Qualifying is set to begin just before 9:00 a.m. Eastern, and we’ll get things rolling well before then with notes from FP3 and more. So come back early and often!