The main doubts that remain will be removed in F1 from Zandvoort

The F1 summer break ends this weekend with the arrival of F1 Dutch GP in the circuit Zandvoortthe Dutch roller coaster, a circuit known for its spectacular banked curves after its recent remodeling. In this legendary track, the F1 reaches its 15th race of the year (out of total 24) with 5 main questions to be solved in the last 10 appointments of the course. We review them below.

Verstappen and the transfer market

The main doubt is about Max’s future. Verstappen. Although he admitted in Austria that he will stay with Red Bull, His car’s problems since Miami compared to the meteoric rise of McLaren and Mercedes mean that a folder that should theoretically be closed, remains open.

Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes, recognized Mundo Deportivo week ago “Verstappen will probably stay at Red Bull, but that doesn’t mean things can change.” And in that sense, its main weapon is to create a competitive car. To a great expert, a few words.

The Austrian continues to dream of the Dutchman’s idea. Having the best car is the best guarantee for Max to continue. But with a complicated team environment and no dominant car, doubt grows. ?What if Verstappen goes to Mercedes? As Wolff says, logic says it will continue, but if Mercedes continues to improve and shows in the second part of this course the doubt whether it will have a championship car in 2025, no one can rule what the ‘signing . of the century’ with Hamilton for Ferrari.

Here we must add the remaining doubts in the market, with special prominence for the decision that must be made by the engineer that everyone likes, the wizard of car design, Adrian Newey, who sounds for Ferrari, Aston Martin or even Williams. And for the youth option Andrea Kimi Antonelli Step up to F1 with Mercedes.

And, of course, it remains to be seen if Verstappen will be able to take advantage of his important points cushion in the World Championship to achieve his fourth consecutive title, something that seems more than met due to the many failures of Norris and McLaren.

Red Bull and its problems

The second great unknown is directly related to the first. Can Red Bull improve more than the others in the second half of this season? Max Verstappen told Mundo Deportivo in the last Hungarian GP already “2025 could be the most exciting World Cup in the last decade, although I hope it is not because I trust that Red Bull can take advantage.”

Maybe it’s a simple hope, or maybe a declaration of intent. It will be necessary to see if Red Bull manages to make more progress in the second part of the course to give a bigger weapon to Max to fight for more wins against McLaren and Mercedes.

McLaren and Mercedes and a hot Constructors’ World Cup

In the second part of the championship, it is expected that two of the main stars will continue to be McLaren and Mercedes. McLaren, with a fast car on all kinds of tracks, should be a candidate for everyone and a good contender to take the Constructors’ title from Red Bull. With 10 races remaining, Red Bull has 408 points and McLaren follows with 366.

The key to that fight is to be seen if ‘Checo’ Pérez can improve his performance and get out of the fallen results, above all, due to the growth of Oscar Piastri with McLaren and the strength of a Norris who must continue to fight for victories and continue to polish his mistakes against Max. Red Bull needs its two drivers.

That title seems more complicated Mercedes, with 266 points, is 142 behind Red Bull for its latest awakening campaign. The question is to see if Mercedes has been able to take another step to be more consistent at the top on all types of tracks, both in qualifying and in the race, and if McLaren and the star team will continue to make it difficult for Max until the end of the year.

So far, in the first 14 races, 7 different drivers have been able to win. Can that parity be maintained or can one team stand out? We must consider the budget ceiling and the intention of the teams to focus on creating the 2025 car, and that Mercedes had more wind tunnel time available than its rivals to create parts on the second part of this course.. Can they use this advantage to turn the tables?

Ferrari and the long-awaited improvements

Carlos Sainz assured the MD in Barcelona that in Maranello the Ferrari team is working against the clock on important improvements which should allow the Italian team to cut the 3 or 4 tenths that separated them from the top in the races before the summer break. This evolution could be the key for the red cars to join a very even battle with Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull. And it will be important to understand if Ferrari has found what is missing in thinking about the 2025 car and the tough battle for everyone.

Aston Martin and progress to 2025

Aston Martin has 10 races ahead to continue making improvements and continue to take steps forward as the evolutions tested in Hungary managed to at least improve the drivers’ confidence in the car. Today, more performance is needed in the car and it does not affect its handling.

Aston Martin must continue to dispel doubts and confirm that it has hit the right button and that it has finally found the right pathmainly thinking about 2025, as Alonso himself stressed at the Hungaroring weeks ago.

Very important factor to make an important step of skill next year and join a fight for podiums more expensive than last year.