Sunday Debrief: Verstappen remains unbeaten with a ninth consecutive win in a dramatic wet-dry race

Verstappen adds another race win to his collection with his ninth consecutive win at his home GP, in constantly changing weathers putting the drivers and teams to the test. Alonso made his comeback to the podium for the first time since Canada, while Gasly gained from another driver’s misfortune, taking the final podium place after Perez was struck with a 5 second-time penalty.

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F1 returns from the summer break and not much has changed since Belgium, with Verstappen starting on pole for the eight time this season, looking to make it nine consecutive wins, with another win in Zandvoort. Behind the championship leader, Norris lined up in P2 followed by Russell in P3. Russell securing P3 in the final seconds of Qualifying from Albon, who took the place from Alonso. A disappointing start for Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes who started from P13, the British driver unable to make it into Q3 for the second time this season.

At the back of the grid, Liam Lawson started in P19 for his first F1 race, as a replacement for Daniel Ricciardo, who broke his arm in a crash during FP2 on Friday. Magnussen started the race from the pit lane at the back of the grid, after taking a new power unit.

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Hamilton was the only driver to start the race on a set of mediums, Mercedes hoping to make up positions by keeping Hamilton out longer than the drivers ahead. That strategy quickly being squashed when the rain came pouring down at the end of Lap 1. Drivers began flooding the pit lane for Inters towards the end of Lap 1, Perez the first to come in, giving him the advantage over his teammate as he became the second race leader of the race on Lap 3. Mercedes taking a gamble by keeping Hamilton out, the gamble noy paying off as Hamilton began to drop down to the back of the grid, before pitting on Lap 3 from P20 for a set of Inters.

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The rain beginning to clear up on Lap 10, Oscar Piastri taking the fastest lap after remaining on his set of soft tyres during the rain. Mercedes were slow to make the switch for Inters but were quick to make the change to softs, with Hamilton the first driver to return to the pits for a set of Soft tyres, Hamilton dropping to P18 after making the climb back to P13.

Lawson became the first driver to take a penalty for impeding another car at the start of the race, Lawson taking a 10 second penalty as a consequence. Lawson was not the only driver to take a penalty with Gasly taking a 5 second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

The safety car made its way onto track on Lap 16, after Logan Sargeant went into the barrier at Turn 8. Sargeant the first of four DNF’s, Leclerc being the second to silently retire later in the race with damage to the floor. The Safety car returned to the pits at the end of Lap 21, with the race resuming on Lap 22.

Albon putting in another impressive drive for Williams, currently running in P7. The Williams driver being the only driver to have not stopped in the race, made his first pit stop on Lap 45 for a fresh set of soft tyres, followed by Hamilton who came in on Lap 46 for a fresher set of Softs.

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The rain made its comeback on Lap 61, providing a challenge for all drivers with Perez going off track into Turn 1 with soft tyres, clipping the barrier as he makes his way back onto track dropping from P2 to P3. With the rain chucking it down the VSC was called on Lap 64, followed by Zhou going into the barrier. Zhou becoming the third retirement of the race. Sergio Perez once again losing position as he comes into the pits on Lap 64, just as the Red flag came out.

The race continued behind the safety car, with a rolling start on Lap 66 with Verstappen leading followed by Alonso and Perez. At the restart Russell faced a puncture after making contact with one of the McLarens, the Mercedes wobbling back into the pits, before retiring out of the race. Shortly after the restart Perez received a 5 second penalty for speeding in the pit lane, losing his P3 finish to Galsy in P4 as they crossed the line. The battles continued up to the chequered flag between Hamilton and Sainz, as Hamilton fought to the end to move up to P5, Sainz showing brilliant defensive skills, as he holds off Hamilton to the finish line holding onto P5.

Verstappen equalised Sebastian Vettel’s and Alberto Ascari’s record of nine consecutive wins, with Alonso and Gasly following him to the final podium positions. Alonso crossed the line with his first podium finish since Canada, as well as the fastest lap and recognition of the fans Driver of the Day. On his F1 debut, Lawson put in an impressive drive in unpredictable weather finishing in P13 ahead of the other Alphatauri of Yuki Tsunoda in P16.