Dutch GP: what time is the race? And can anyone challenge Verstappen?

Well that went by quickly, didn’t it? Just four short weeks after the Belgian Grand Prix, F1’s summer shutdown is officially over and racing resumes at the Dutch coastal town of Zandvoort this weekend.

Things couldn’t be going better for the local hero: Max Verstappen has won 10 out of 12 races in 2023 and he leads the drivers’ standings by 125 points. In fact, if he were a one-man team he’d be winning the constructors’ title all on his own too. Yikes.

With a third world championship purely a formality and a car more dominant than any other that’s gone before it, we must look further down the grid for the excitement and drama.

Can Lewis Hamilton overhaul Fernando Alonso in the not-driving-a-Red-Bull world championship? Can McLaren continue to impress having started the season with a car displaying the performance pedigree of a cinder block? Can Ferrari get through a single race without making howlers worthy of The Play That Goes Wrong?

And further down the field, all eyes will be on the progress of Daniel Ricciardo’s shock comeback and Alpine’s attempts to not sack all of its senior employees.

Much to ponder. Keep scrolling for the key info you need ahead of lights out.

What time is the Dutch GP? And what time is qualifying?

The Dutch Grand Prix starts at 2pm UK time on Sunday 27 August; qualifying begins at the same time on Saturday.

Hardcore enough for the practice sessions? FP1 and FP2 take place at 11:30am and 2pm on Friday 25 August, with FP3 starting a few hours before quali at 10:30am on Saturday.

What’s the weather going to be like?

As we sit here typing this several days before the race, it looks like wet weather could be a factor over the weekend. Yet again. How many is that in a row now where rain has been forecast at some stage?

Temperatures look set to be cool (in the region of 18-21 degrees Celsius), with persistent rain showers sweeping over the circuit between practice and the race. All eyes on the meteorologists…

Where is the Dutch GP taking place?

The Dutch Grand Prix is being held at Zandvoort, a seaside town a few miles from Amsterdam. It returned to the F1 calendar in 2021 after an absence of 36 years, having been a mainstay since the late 1950s. Since its comeback only Verstappen has won here… has anyone explained to ticket holders that this isn’t actually guaranteed by the small print?

How many laps is the Dutch GP?

The Dutch GP is 72 laps long, one of the longest on the calendar owing to the relatively short 4.259km (2.646mi) circuit. Lots of corners crammed into that distance though: 14 in total, including a couple of old school banked turns in the first and final sectors. Many Gs shall be pulled.

Who’s going to win the Dutch GP?

Ugh, if only we could tell you that it’s anyone’s race. But unless Max Verstappen has had his talent stolen by Looney Tunes villains over the summer break (yes, that’s a Space Jam reference) he will be pretty much unstoppable on Sunday. His only realistic opponents are mechanical DNFs and taking a wrong turn because one of the fans has let off their smoke canister at the wrong moment.

Who’ll join him on the podium? Now that’s anyone’s guess. Teammate Sergio Perez has the best tools, but Lando Norris is a strong shout with a resurgent McLaren, as is Oscar Piastri. Mercedes and Ferrari will be strong shouts too, and maybe Aston Martin if the team can rediscover its form.

How can I watch the Dutch GP?

UK viewers can either watch it live on Sky Sports, or with a Now TV subscription. All other options are far too illegal to tell you about.

If you’re happy to wait for the highlights then Channel 4’s free-to-air coverage of qualifying starts at 6.45pm on Saturday, with a race round-up on Sunday from 6.30pm. Failing that, live commentary will be available on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra from 1.45pm onwards.

What’s the Top Gear view on the Dutch GP?

The Dutch Grand Prix has been a fantastic addition to the F1 calendar since its return to the fold two years ago: the circuit is technical and unforgiving, and the support from the Dutch fans is staggering. Remember Germany had a world champion to root for in Sebastian Vettel not long ago and yet the German GP still died because of local apathy, something the Verstappen-ites (or Max Massives?) aren’t going to suffer from any time soon. Now, if only we could have a tight battle for the win…