“I’m hyped”: Lando Norris returning to Max Verstappen’s home race with a confident mindset

Lando Norris has shared his thoughts ahead of Max Verstappen’s home race, the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. The 25-year-old expressed his excitement about racing at the Zandvoort circuit.

The McLaren driver, who is currently locked in a championship fight with teammate Oscar Piastri, also detailed how excited he is about returning to the grid following the F1 mid-season break. Speaking via McLaren’s press statement, Norris stated:

“I'm excited to be back racing after two weeks away. I'm feeling fresh and coming back ready to have a strong second half of the season.”

“The atmosphere at the Dutch Grand Prix is always mega. Last year here was special, so I’m hyped to be returning. We're competitive, and ready to continue where we left off, so I'm confident I'll be fighting out front again.”

Lando Norris boasts fond memories of racing at the Zandvoort circuit. The British driver claimed victory at the Dutch duunes during the 2024 edition of the event. Norris finished over 20 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, who clinched second place, and Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who finished in third to complete the podium.

Max Verstappen speaks ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix

Max Verstappen also reflected ahead of racing in front of his home crowd. The Red Bull Racing driver detailed his excitement ahead of the Zandvoort event.

The four-time world champion, who endured a forgettable outing last time out at the Hungarian Grand Prix, expressed how he had a good summer break and how well recharged he was ahead of the race. Speaking via the Red Bull team press release, the 27-year-old stated:

“It has been a good summer break, relaxing and spending time with family and friends. It was good to recharge and reset, and we head straight to Zandvoort for the first race back.”

"As my home race, it is always a special race for me; the atmosphere is amazing, and we always have such great support. Driving past a sea of orange when you are racing is an incredible feeling, and I am looking forward to being back.”

Verstappen also touched on his special outfit for the event, detailing:

“To mark this, I will be wearing my Orange Lion helmet, special cap, and boots. Zandvoort is an old school circuit with quite a unique layout and a lot of fast corners. It will be a tough race, and it looks like the weather might make things tricky, but let’s see what happens.”

Max Verstappen remains the most successful driver in the history of the Dutch Grand Prix since its return to Formula 1 in 2021. The four-time world champion has claimed victory in three of the four races held so far, and he finished on the podium during the 2024 edition of the event.

Verstappen, who currently trails both Norris and Piastri in the drivers’ standings, will be aiming to close the gap to the McLaren duo when the light goes out for the commencement of the Grand Prix.