F1 returns after the summer break with Max Verstappen’s home race - the Dutch Grand Prix at the old-school Zandvoort circuit.
Lewis Hamilton claimed his second win in three races in the last race before the shutdown in Belgium after his Mercedes team-mate George Russell was disqualified for being under-weight.
Verstappen, meanwhile, has gone four races without a victory but will fancy his chances in front of a raucous home support at a venue where he has won three times on the spin.
The Red Bull driver has a 78-point lead to McLaren’s Lando Norris in the world championship with 10 races remaining, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc 100 points off Verstappen in third.
Follow live updates from the Dutch Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 DUTCH GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES
- F1 returns after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix
- PREVIEW: Max Verstappen’s unbeaten F1 home streak is in doubt – but can Lando Norris finally convert at Dutch GP?
- George Russell fastest in FP2; Piastri 2nd; Hamilton 3rd
- Lando Norris quickest in first practice; Verstappen 2nd; Hamilton 3rd
- Lewis Hamilton supports Rwandan Grand Prix ahead of F1 talks
Christian Horner ‘relieved’ after female colleague’s appeal over ‘inappropriate behaviour’ dismissed
16:45
Kieran Jackson
Christian Horner admits he is “relieved” that the appeal from a female colleague alleging “inappropriate behaviour” was dismissed in the F1 summer break.
Red Bull F1 chief executive and team principal Horner was originally cleared of any wrongdoing back in March, having been accused by a female member of staff of “coercive, inappropriate behaviour.”
Horner, 50, was exonerated on the eve of the opening race of the season in Bahrain before a deluge of sexually suggestive texts – allegedly between Horner and the complainant – were leaked to members of the paddock. The veracity of the texts have not been verified, since it came from an anonymous email address.
The complainant was then suspended on full pay before launching an appeal. But on 8 August, her appeal was thrown out following another investigation by a different independent KC – with Red Bull adding that their “internal process has concluded.”
Full quotes below:
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: FP2 RESULTS IN FULL
16:20
Kieran Jackson
FP2 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 23, 2024
That's a wrap for Friday Bring on quali day!! #F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/eEfwQytQf9
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: George Russell fastest in FP2!
16:00
Kieran Jackson
The session concludes with the grid setting a number of race simulation laps - amid windy conditions - and so George Russell remains on top with that time of 1:10:702.
Oscar Piastri was within a tenth for McLaren in second, with Lewis Hamilton in third - a tenth off his team-mate.
4-10: Norris, Verstappen, Alonso, Tsunoda, Magnussen, Leclerc, Albon
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: FP2 snaps!
15:56
Kieran Jackson
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: George Russell up to P1!
15:46
Kieran Jackson
George Russell goes fastest as the race simulations begin - he sets a 1:10:702, 0.061 secs quicker than Oscar Piastri in second.
Lewis Hamilton is third, a tenth off, with Lando Norris 0.259 secs off Russell and Max Verstappen 0.284 secs off.
6-10: Alonso, Tsunoda, Magnussen, Leclerc, Albon
Sergio Perez is down in P12 - 20 minutes to go...
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Lando Norris goes P1!
15:28
Kieran Jackson
The McLaren driver is top of the timesheet with a 1:10:961, 0.025 secs quicker than Max Verstappen. Five-tenths further back is Sergio Perez, as the track times ramp up with drivers switching to the soft tyre.
Lewis Hamilton - top a moment ago - is down to P6!
Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is out for the remainder of the session due to a gearbox issue. Far from ideal.
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton fastest
15:24
Kieran Jackson
The seven-time world champion - who has not won at Zandvoort - is quickest in the first 20 minutes with a 1:11:833, three-tenths faster than Max Verstappen.
3-10: Russell, Alonso, Norris, Stroll, Albon, Tsunoda, Leclerc, Piastri
Smooth running thus far...
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: George Russell in the gravel!
15:10
Kieran Jackson
Russell a bit in the dark as he goes straight at turn 9 and into the gravel!
Russell: “Little bit strange.”
Perez endures something similar at turn 1. While it’s no longer wet out on track, it is still very windy here on the North Sea coast!
10 minutes gone, Max Verstappen up top early on.
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: FP2 underway!
15:02
Kieran Jackson
It’s dry and sunny this afternoon in Zandvoort - in contrast to this morning’s rain - and it’s time for the second hour of practice!
Pierre Gasly leads a fairly substantial queue out of the pit-lane... all 20 cars straight out on track here!
2024 Constructors’ Standings:
14:49
Kieran Jackson
1. Red Bull - 408 points
2. McLaren - 366 points
3. Ferrari - 345 points
4. Mercedes - 266 points
5. Aston Martin - 73 points
6. RB - 34 points
7. Haas - 27 points
8. Alpine - 11 points
9. Williams - 4 points
10. Sauber - 0 points
Max Verstappen unsure of long-term F1 future ahead of milestone at Dutch GP
14:38
Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen insists he is “past halfway” through his F1 career as he brings up his 200th race at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend.
The three-time F1 world champion, who made his debut in 2015 at the age of 17, has a contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season but is unsure whether he will race beyond that date.
Verstappen has previously stated that racing into his late 30s or 40s, like rivals Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, is not on the cards – and he reiterated that belief as F1 returns with his home race at Zandvoort this weekend following the summer break.
Lewis Hamilton’s engineer turns down chance to join Mercedes star at Ferrari
14:14
Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton’s long-term race engineer Peter Bonnington will not join the seven-time F1 world champion at Ferrari next year after receiving a promotion at Mercedes.
Hamilton will end his 12-year stint at Mercedes at the end of this season after six world titles with the Silver Arrows. Bonnington has been the voice of wisdom over team radio for all of those triumphs.
Yet Bonnington, known as “Bono” in the paddock, will be Mercedes’ head of race engineering from 2025 and will not join Hamilton with his new venture at the Scuderia.
Bonnington, 49, will also be a race engineer for either George Russell or, more likely, Hamilton’s replacement next season.
2024 Driver Standings:
14:00
Kieran Jackson
1. Max Verstappen - 277 points
2. Lando Norris - 199 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 177 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 167 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 162 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 150 points
7. Sergio Perez - 131 points
8. George Russell - 116 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 49 points
10. Lance Stroll - 24 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
14. Oliver Bearman - 6 points
15. Pierre Gasly - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 5 points
17. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
18. Alex Albon - 4 points
19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
21. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
Jack Doohan promoted to F1 seat at Alpine to replace Esteban Ocon in 2025
13:43
Kieran Jackson
Jack Doohan will race for Alpine next year after his promotion to Formula 1 was announced on Friday morning.
The 21-year-old Australian, son of five-time 500cc motorcycling world champion Mick Doohan, has been the team’s reserve driver for the last two years.
He finished third in Formula 2 last year and has now been rewarded for his patience on the sidelines with a call-up to the 20-driver grid next year. He will replace Haas-bound Esteban Ocon.
Should Daniel Ricciardo extend his stay with RB or Red Bull next year, it means there will be three Australians on the grid in 2025, with Doohan joining McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
More detail below:
A reminder of the start times this weekend in Zandvoort
13:32
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 23 August
- Free practice 2: 3pm
Saturday 24 August
- Free practice 3: 10:30am
- Qualifying: 2pm
Sunday 25 August
- Race: 2pm
Christian Horner ‘relieved’ after female colleague’s appeal over ‘inappropriate behaviour’ dismissed
13:20
Kieran Jackson
Christian Horner admits he is “relieved” that the appeal from a female colleague alleging “inappropriate behaviour” was dismissed in the F1 summer break.
Red Bull F1 chief executive and team principal Horner was originally cleared of any wrongdoing back in March, having been accused by a female member of staff of “coercive, inappropriate behaviour.”
Horner, 50, was exonerated on the eve of the opening race of the season in Bahrain before a deluge of sexually suggestive texts – allegedly between Horner and the complainant – were leaked to members of the paddock. The veracity of the texts have not been verified, since it came from an anonymous email address.
The complainant was then suspended on full pay before launching an appeal. But on 8 August, her appeal was thrown out following another investigation by a different independent KC – with Red Bull adding that their “internal process has concluded.”
Full quotes below:
Williams boss James Vowles on signing Carlos Sainz for 2025:
13:03
Kieran Jackson
“When we told the news to the factory, I wish I could bottle that moment. It was this expression of joy from 1,000 people which I’ll remember for the rest of my life. He’s a race winner. I truly believe we have one of the best if not the best driver partnership on the grid.
“Half the grid were chasing him. Our deal is very long, after ‘26 we can take a review.
“Abu Dhabi last year was when we were speaking to the family. We snuck them in to my office in Abu Dhabi, no one knew they were there. He is an impressive individual, when he goes to a team that team improves, he’s a worker. For Williams, I thought the fit was really good.”
Vowles was speaking to Sky Sports F1
FP1 RESULTS IN FULL:
12:51
Kieran Jackson
FP1 CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 23, 2024
Norris hits the ground running after the summer break#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/3Y2qltx9hq
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Lando Norris quickest in FP1!
12:42
Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen goes quicker than Norris - but the McLaren driver nicks it with a 1:12:322, 0.201 secs faster than the Dutchman!
Early gauntlet thrown by Norris!
Lewis Hamilton was third-fastest but six-tenths off Norris, with Carlos Sainz in fourth and George Russell fifth.
6-10: Albon, Piastri, Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Zhou
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Lando Norris goes quicker still!
12:28
Kieran Jackson
Blue skies over Zandvoort now as the drivers take to the track on slicks!
Norris goes quicker still on softs with a 1:12:818, three-tenths quicker than Lewis Hamilton in second and George Russell in third.
5 mins to go... times should continue to tumble here!
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Lando Norris fastest as track evolves
12:18
Kieran Jackson
Lando Norris quickest now with a 1:20:392, 0.052 secs ahead of George Russell in second with the Sauber reserve driver of Robert Shwartzman - replacing Valtteri Bottas for this session - in third.
4-10: Verstappen, Sainz, Ocon, Ricciardo, Tsunoda, Gasly, Hulkenberg
All but two of the drivers have now set timed laps.
Will we see some slick drivers with 15 minutes remaining?
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: George Russell tops the timesheets!
12:07
Kieran Jackson
Russell goes fastest as the cars on track switch to intermediate tyres, given the drying conditions with the rain stopping.
Norris is in second, with home star Max Verstappen in third.
Halfway through the sessions - about 10 cars out on track now.
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc fastest after 20 minutes!
11:55
Kieran Jackson
The Ferrari sets the quickest time in the wet with a 1:26:111, on extreme wet tyres.
Only seven drivers have been out so fast, with Leclerc, Hulkenberg and Russell the only drivers to have set timed laps thus far.
Both McLarens, Norris and Piastri, enter the fray too.
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Pierre Gasly first driver out!
11:33
Kieran Jackson
Alpine’s Gasly, who will have a new team-mate in the form of Jack Doohan next year, is the first driver out on track in super wet conditions at Zandvoort!
Haas’ Kevin Magnussen joins him - and Nico Hulkenberg slides off track at turn 10!
It’s torrential out there!
F1 Dutch Grand Prix: FP1 underway!
11:32
Kieran Jackson
Not a lot of movement in the garage as the session officially gets underway - I imagine that the teams and drivers will want to wait until the weather relents at least a tad...
It’s a miserable sight in the grandstands - ponchos on, hoods up!
Some drivers aren’t even in their cars... some are...
George Russell reflects on ‘frustrating’ Belgian GP disqualification: ‘It’s still a win’
11:27
Kieran Jackson
George Russell insists he still counts the Belgian Grand Prix as a victory despite his disqualification last month.
The Mercedes driver thought he’d secured his third F1 victory after a brilliant one-stop strategy at Spa-Fracorchamps saw him take the chequered flag in first place, ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
But a post-race check detailed that Russell’s Mercedes car was under-weight and, as per the regulations, the 26-year-old was removed from the post-race classification.
It was a bitter blow for Russell, as he missed out on 25 points and a memorable victory, but speaking a month on ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, the Brit still takes positives from a stunning drive.
F1 practice at Dutch GP 2024:
11:20
Kieran Jackson
It’s wet and very windy at Zandvoort - not sure how much significant running we’ll get this morning to be honest!
Overcast and gloomy in northern Netherlands... not quite the start to the second half of the season we wanted!
2024 Constructors’ Standings:
11:15
Kieran Jackson
1. Red Bull - 408 points
2. McLaren - 366 points
3. Ferrari - 345 points
4. Mercedes - 266 points
5. Aston Martin - 73 points
6. RB - 34 points
7. Haas - 27 points
8. Alpine - 11 points
9. Williams - 4 points
10. Sauber - 0 points
Max Verstappen unsure of long-term F1 future ahead of milestone at Dutch GP
11:05
Kieran Jackson
Max Verstappen insists he is “past halfway” through his F1 career as he brings up his 200th race at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend.
The three-time F1 world champion, who made his debut in 2015 at the age of 17, has a contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season but is unsure whether he will race beyond that date.
Verstappen has previously stated that racing into his late 30s or 40s, like rivals Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, is not on the cards – and he reiterated that belief as F1 returns with his home race at Zandvoort this weekend following the summer break.
Lewis Hamilton supports Rwandan Grand Prix ahead of F1 talks
10:55
Kieran Jackson
Lewis Hamilton has backed talks planned next month between Rwanda and Formula 1 as the sport looks to return to Africa for the first time in over 30 years.
F1 has not staged a race in Africa since 1993, which was the last iteration of the South African Grand Prix at the Kyalami Circuit on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
Plans to return to South Africa recently fell through but F1 boss Stefano Domenicali revealed last week that Rwanda has “serious” plans to host a grand prix.
Hamilton, who spent F1’s summer break in Morocco, Senegal, Benin, Mozambique and Madagascar, said: “The time is 100 per cent right (to stage a race in Africa). We can’t be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa, which the rest of the world just takes from. No one gives anything to Africa.”
Full report below:
2024 Driver Standings:
10:46
Kieran Jackson
1. Max Verstappen - 277 points
2. Lando Norris - 199 points
3. Charles Leclerc - 177 points
4. Oscar Piastri - 167 points
5. Carlos Sainz - 162 points
6. Lewis Hamilton - 150 points
7. Sergio Perez - 131 points
8. George Russell - 116 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 49 points
10. Lance Stroll - 24 points
11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points
14. Oliver Bearman - 6 points
15. Pierre Gasly - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen - 5 points
17. Esteban Ocon - 5 points
18. Alex Albon - 4 points
19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
21. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
Start times this weekend in Zandvoort!
10:32
Kieran Jackson
All times BST
Friday 23 August
- Free practice 1: 11:30am
- Free practice 2: 3pm
Saturday 24 August
- Free practice 3: 10:30am
- Qualifying: 2pm
Sunday 25 August
- Race: 2pm
NEW: Jack Doohan promoted to F1 seat at Alpine to replace Esteban Ocon in 2025
10:30
Kieran Jackson
Jack Doohan will race for Alpine next year after his promotion to Formula 1 was announced on Friday morning.
The 21-year-old Australian, son of five-time 500cc motorcycling world champion Mick Doohan, has been the team’s reserve driver for the last two years.
He finished third in Formula 2 last year and has now been rewarded for his patience on the sidelines with a call-up to the 20-driver grid next year. He will replace Haas-bound Esteban Ocon.
Should Daniel Ricciardo extend his stay with RB or Red Bull next year, it means there will be three Australians on the grid in 2025, with Doohan joining McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
More detail below:
F1 Dutch Grand Prix LIVE!
10:26
Kieran Jackson
Good morning! Are we well rested?
After four weeks off, Formula 1 returns this week with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort! There’s 10 races left in what has been a highly-entertaining 2024 season so far and we can expect plenty more drama in the races remaining!
Max Verstappen has won the past three races at Zandvoort - his home race - but can anyone put an end to that streak this weekend? Both McLaren and Mercedes will fancy their chances after strong finales to the first half of the season....
Today, it’s all about practice - FP1 is at 11:30am (BST), with second practice at 3pm.