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This weekend, the F1 circus will host the Dutch GP at Zandvoort in what is the second race of the triple-header after the summer break. As he heads to his home race, Max Verstappen holds a 98-point lead in the championship over Charles Leclerc. Not only that, he's coming off two consecutive race wins by coming through the pack.
As the season has worn on, slowly but steadily, the Verstappen and Red Bull juggernaut has gotten stronger and stronger. So much so that, if we are brutally honest, Charles Leclerc and Ferrari are not even a competition anymore. Leclerc is now third in the standings and is fighting to secure P2 in the championship, let alone the title that he aspired for.
Mercedes, on the other hand, has had its own issues with the car having some of the worst mood swings when it comes to its performance. In the midfield, we have Alpine and McLaren fighting it out both on the track and off it.
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The silly season has gotten somewhat interesting as well recently, with Mick Schumacher parting ways with the Ferrari driver academy at the end of the season. As we head to Zandvoort, what can we expect? Who will win? Who will perform well? What kind of race would we have in front of us? Let's find out as we give our top 5 bold predictions for the 2022 F1 Dutch GP.
#5 Aston Martin vs Haas for points
The 2022 F1 Dutch GP could feature teams that were rather uncompetitive in Spa. Haas suffered from excessive drag on the straights and hence could not produce the much-needed straight-line speed. In Aston Martin's case, the grid penalties for other teams were a boon as they gave its two drivers strong starting positions.
Aston Martin has an inherent weakness in the fast-speed corners and the straights. This was something that was highlighted by Sebastian Vettel as well, as he could not make a move on Fernando Alonso's Alpine in the race. At the 2022 F1 Dutch GP, the track requirements of a higher downforce setup lean towards Aston Martin and Haas. This weekend, we could see the two teams fighting it out for some points in the race.
#4 If it does not rain, the race might be a bit of a dud
In terms of atmosphere for racing, Zandvoort is almost spectacular in many ways. Having said that, when it comes to the on-track action, certain limitations need to be addressed. These limitations revolve around the track not having too many sections that are conducive to wheel-to-wheel battles.
There is a weather forecast of rain making an appearance during the race and when that happens, it often lends itself to great action. Having said that, if there is no rain, we could be looking at a race where the enthusiasm in the stands is arguably much more than the action on the track.
#3 McLaren will be quicker than Alpine but will get outscored once again
McLaren suffered a lot in the long straights of Spa but the track layout for the 2022 F1 Dutch GP should be a respite for the team. With the lack of fast-speed corners that were prominent at Spa, McLaren should be competitive against Alpine and arguably quicker than the French team.
Having said that, while McLaren has Lando Norris in peak form, the track layout for Zandvoort does not suit Daniel Ricciardo's driving style (because of similarities to Monaco). Alpine, on the other hand, has two drivers pushing each other in every corner. While Norris could steal the best individual result for McLaren at the 2022 F1 Dutch GP, both Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon would be right behind him, and hence, Alpine would score more points than McLaren this weekend.
#2 Mercedes back on the podium
Mercedes has shown this season that while the car does not have the speed to contend with Red Bull and Ferrari, it is still consistent enough overall. The two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, perform at a very high level and don't make too many mistakes.
Mercedes should be much closer to the frontrunners this weekend. With rain forecast for the race, expect either of the two drivers to take advantage of the predicted mixed conditions and secure a podium finish.
#1 Max Verstappen wins the 2022 F1 Dutch GP
It wouldn't be as straightforward or dominant as the F1 Belgian GP last weekend as both Ferrari and Mercedes should be competitive here. In terms of single-lap pace, we might be looking at Ferrari/Charles Leclerc snatching pole position on Saturday.
In terms of race pace, Red Bull should hold an edge. With rain imminent during the race, we are in all probability looking at Max Verstappen picking up his second successive win at the 2022 F1 Dutch GP.
