F1 returns to Zandvoort for the first time in 36 years for the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend.
The sport was originally scheduled to return in May last year, but the event has been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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With a starting place in September, Zandvoort will hope to inspire with the home support of Max Verstappen in order to oust their hero in the drivers’ standings in front of Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen said: “It may be a little difficult to overtake, but for the individual lap performance I think it will be worthwhile. The qualifying laps there will be very fast, so mistakes will be very expensive.”
Here GPFans Global gives you an overview of the return of an old – but modified – favorite.
The racetrack
Although Zandvoort bears the slogan of an old-school circuit, which Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff described as such, the circuit has undergone major overhauls since the last Dutch GP in 1985.
The old configuration ran outside of the current layout with much higher achievable speeds.
The modern layout was designed in 1999 and further refined, including the addition of banking, before the return of Formula 1.
Tarzan, or the Dutch Tarzanbocht, is one of the most famous corners in European motorsport and opens the lap. The 180 degree curve is one of the few overtaking points on the track.
A short bang through a left-right sequence at Gerlachbocht leads into the first of the newly created curves at Hugenholtzbocht. The left turn swings around to begin the uphill run through the fastest section on the track.
Hunserug and Slotemakerbocht send the cars into a rapid right-hand bend at the top of the ski jump near Scheivlak. Two more quick strokes to the right follow, through Masterbocht and turn nine, while the drivers prepare for the most technical section of the route.
The lap time will be decisive in Turn 10, the medium-fast hairpin that leads onto the back straight and down to the Hans Ernst Schikane, the last real overtaking point on the route.
Another short run follows in the last two corners. Kumhobocht is a 90-degree right-hand drive at medium speed that leads into Aria Luyendykbocht, the final corner to be negotiated with twice as much bias as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
What lap times can we expect?
Without previous F1 experience on this track layout, the fastest time on race day will break the track record for Zandvoort.
However, we can extrapolate from the F1 2021 gameplay to get a rough estimate of lap time on the Dutch Circuit.
Aston Martin F1 Esports driver Lucas Blakeley holds the world record for Silverstone in the game with a time of one minute 24.249 seconds.
Compared to Hamilton’s fastest qualifying time at this year’s British Grand Prix, a lap of 1: 26.134s, when tuning the settings, the game delivers lap times that are roughly one to two seconds faster than in real life.
Blakeley has set a time of 1:08:00 a.m. in F1 2021 at Zandvoort. So expect the F1 cars to level off around the 69- to 70-second mark on lap times, depending on track conditions.
Who will be quick
It goes without saying that Red Bull and Mercedes will duel for the honor on Saturday and Sunday, given their shared speed in the previous calendar.
The track really gives Ferrari and McLaren something to excite in the race for third place, with the fast first sector playing into the hands of the British team while the technical end of the lap should swing back towards Scuderia.
In midfield, expect Alpine and Aston Martin to be as successful as they were at Silverstone, which can take similar tire kill loads around corners.
Where can overtaking maneuvers be expected?
There are only two realistic ways to take a step, and both of them require a daring stance.
Tarzanbocht and the chicane at Hans Ernst, both supported by DRS explosions, will provide an opportunity.
It’s worth noting that we were pessimistic about Mugello last season before the Italian track delivered an exciting race.
As expected, qualifying this weekend will be decisive. So expect a lot of action on Saturday.
The post Dutch Grand Prix 2021: Route guide to an old-school classic first appeared on monter-une-startup.
