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The 2023 F1 Dutch GP will mark the return of the sport. The season has not been the most exciting and although one might feel a bit surprised at how things have panned out, it's not got the unpredictability factor if you look at the front of the grid.
Having said that, if we move on from the fight (or the lack of it) at the front of the grid, there are quite a few interesting storylines in play.
For the 2023 F1 Dutch GP, if you want to see the previous race weekend, click here. In this feature, however, we're doing the fun stuff. We're making predictions of how we expect the race weekend to pan out. So without further ado, let's get straight to it.
#1 Qualifying could be close but Max Verstappen wins the 2023 F1 Dutch GP
The track layout for the 2023 F1 Dutch GP is somewhat similar to what we had in Hungary. There are quite a few slow-speed sections and that does make Zandvoort the kind of structure where teams like Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari could come into play.
The last time Red Bull lost a pole position was in Hungaroring to Lewis Hamilton, and we could possibly have a close battle in qualifying this time around as well. In the race though, the gulf is just too big and it's hard to expect anything else but Max Verstappen blitzing the field in his home race.
#2 Battle for the podium between Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari
With all three teams having shown proficiency in slow-speed sections, we could see a close battle between McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari this weekend as well for the podium slots. It could ultimately come down to how well any of these teams can nail the entire 2023 F1 Dutch GP weekend.
Ferrari could struggle in the long-run pace while Mercedes, as it has shown earlier in the season as well, could hold an edge over long stints. Behind Max Verstappen, we could be looking at a very interesting battle between these teams
#3 Another off-weekend for Sergio Perez
A race weekend where qualifying is going to be crucial is a major red flag for Sergio Perez. To add to this, Zandvoort is not the kind of track where overtaking is a piece of cake. It's very hard to pull off overtakes and have a strong weekend if you're going to start the race compromised.
Unfortunately for Sergio Perez, his qualifying deficit to Max Verstappen does mean that we're looking at a race weekend where he could struggle.
#4 Aston Martin and Alpine might end up competing among themselves
Behind the new top 4 that has taken shape in the last few races, we're looking at a possible battle between Aston Martin and Alpine for points. The French team is still without a team principal or a sporting director, to add to this, there seems to be no progress on that front either. Having said that, the upgrade brought in Spa was very impressive and could give the team a boost.
For Aston Martin, however, the 2023 F1 Dutch GP is all about putting the pieces back together. The drop in form has been alarming and the team will be looking to get back on pace. The change though is not going to come overnight and this weekend could feature the team battling Alpine.
#5 Alfa Romeo is the wildcard for the weekend
Alfa Romeo's sudden improvement in pace in Hungary was put down to the upgrades brought a couple of races earlier. The track layout for the 2023 F1 Dutch GP is very similar to what was on offer in Hungary and we could possibly be looking at a similar revival this weekend as well from the team.
The Swiss team has been however too inconsistent this season to make a viable judgment about the team's form in any which way. Alfa Romeo is the wildcard for the 2023 F1 Dutch GP and it will be interesting to see how it fares this weekend.
