Will The Return to Zandvoort Wash Formula 1’s Sins Away?
Last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix was a washout in more ways than one. Heavy rain led to the race being delayed by half an hour from its scheduled start time. At this point, the cars were driven around the circuit for two formation laps before being recalled back to the pits.
The Belgian Grand Prix field followed the safety car for two laps before a race result was declared. Will the weather cooperate this weekend at the revamped Zandvoort circuit? ©JiriKrenek
The rain was incessant, and a delay of a further three hours ensued. At 6:10 pm the cars were instructed to follow the safety car around the circuit for two more ‘race laps’ before an official result was called. That ‘result’ being the order in which the grid was due to start.
Under the sport’s rules, just half of the normal world championship points were awarded to the top-10 finishers. As per bookmakers’ rules, punters were paid on the finishing order at the time of the trophy presentation.
Pole setter Max Verstappen was the odds-on favorite for race victory at the outset. So, in being declared the race winner, relatively few punters were upset. However, few would have backed George Russell to finish on the podium. Fewer yet would have backed Nikita Mazepin at 500/1 to claim the fastest lap of the race.
Hurting the Heart of The Sport
Formula 1 has managed to avoid the word ‘debacle’ since 2005 when just six cars lined up for the US Grand Prix, but from every viewpoint, Sunday’s damp squib trumped that bleak day. Multiple world champion Lewis Hamilton was amongst the first to condemn the sports ruling body for classifying the two slow-speed laps behind a safety car as a ‘race’.
On since his Instagram account – which has over 23 million followers – he vented: “The Belgian GP was a farce and the only people to lose are the fans who paid good money to see us compete.” Hamilton went on… “We should have simply closed, not put the drivers at risk and above all reimbursed the fans which are the heart of our sport.”
Fighting on the Beaches
Formula 1’s traveling circus has driven 300 kilometers north to Zandvoort for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix. It is a race that has been absent from the calendar since 1985. The circuit, situated amongst sand dunes, now has a massively different configuration than it did that year when Niki Lauda beat Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.
Zandvoort Circuit, which has two 180-degree corners, is very similar to the Hungaroring in appearance and technical demands. ©MercedesF1
Zanvoort’s circuit remains narrow, it is twisty and has some flowing high-speed sweeping corners where overtaking will not be easy. Many experts have likened it to the Hungaroring, a track that has traditionally suited the Red Bull team.
However, unlike previous seasons, Red Bull appeared outpaced by rivals Mercedes at the Hungarian venue in early August. We will never fully know as both cars were involved in a heavy first corner collision.
Regardless of the 2021 formbook, the weather is an imponderable for a second consecutive race weekend. Some forecasts predict a 40 percent possibility of rain on the Dutch circuit on Sunday and situated on the coast, tricky crosswinds are always a threat.
Max Support for Qualifying King
If you are looking for a betting opportunity you could easily be drawn to BetVictor, where 5/4 is available on Max Verstappen being the fastest qualifier. It looks like a fair bet.
Firstly, the weather forecast is good for Saturday’s qualifying session. Secondly, the Dutch driver is guaranteed enormous support from his fanatical countrymen. Most importantly, Verstappen has claimed pole position in five of the last six F1 Grand Prix qualifying sessions.
