Ever-looming rain clouds were the biggest indicator that summer was truly over. A distinct back-to-school vibe permeated the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, and hints of lethargy around the Formula 1 paddock were invariably shaken off once it came down to business.
On Max Verstappen’s home turf, the story of the weekend was about one driver. The two-time champion has been credited with the surge of interest that led to the Dutch GP’s reinstatement to the F1 calendar after a 35-year hiatus, the 17,000-strong population of Zandvoort bolstered by hundreds of thousands for one weekend per year. Those expecting a sun-drenched beach trip to extend their summer holidays, however, would receive precipitation upon their parade.
This year’s edition of the race was a tale of two downpours: one at its opening, and one at the climax. The first took the strategies carefully curated by the teams and cast them into the aether, and plans had to be swiftly concocted on the fly. Just as the race had settled into its rhythm and the last vestiges of turbulence ironed out, a bulging cloud emerged from the north-west over land and sea. Zandvoort, perched precariously on the North Sea, sat within its trajectory and the heavy rain washed over the beaches.
But nothing could unsettle Verstappen from his homecoming. He was seemingly unencumbered by the weight of expectation, or distracted by the boisterous Dutch fans festooned in tangerine-tinted fare. The pressure was certainly there – Red Bull boss Christian Horner said that “you’d be a robot not to” feel it. “You could see in his face, you’ve got 100,000 Dutch men and women singing the national anthem,” he added. “That’s a big moment for him, for any national driver, and
