2024 F1 Dutch GP: Race Predictions

The grid for the 2024 F1 Dutch GP has been set, with Lando Norris on the front row with Max Verstappen alongside him. The second row features Oscar Piastri and George Russell, followed by Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc. Zandvoort has been one venue that has produced some very interesting racing over the past few years.

A lot of it, however, has been due to either late-race safety cars or disruptive weather conditions mixing things up. While the F1 Dutch GP on Sunday is expected to be dry, there's a possibility that the weather could change for the worse.

With that being said, anticipation is high. Max Verstappen has won his home race for the last three seasons. Could he do the same thing this time around or the deficit in car performance is going to hurt him? Let's find out as we share our predictions for the 2024 F1 Dutch GP.

#5 Top 6 result for Fernando Alonso

This one might be a stretch but Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin have both looked good this weekend. The Spaniard is probably one of the best racers on the F1 grid, and when he smells the opportunity to get a good result, you can be assured that he will try to achieve that. We're backing the return of the vintage Fernando Alonso as he sniffs a strong result this weekend.

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#4 George Russell secures a podium

George Russell starts the race in P4 but what he has going for him is the fact that the car under him was not that bad on the long runs on Friday. Him making at least one more place in finishing on the podium should not be a far-fetched prediction.

We're backing George Russell to score a podium at the F1 Dutch GP even though it could come at the cost of either Max Verstappen or the two McLaren drivers.

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#3 Lewis Hamilton's high downforce setup could cause issues while making his way through the field

If it rains, Lewis Hamilton might be able to take advantage of that high downforce setup. Having said that, if it doesn't and we have a dry race, then we're looking at a scenario where Lewis might struggle to make his way through the field.

The Mercedes driver has gone with a higher downforce setup, which should ideally have helped in qualifying. It's going to be tough to pull off overtakes in a car that is noticeably slower on the straights.

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#2 If the weather continues to be dry, the race could get processional

This is something that the fans might not be happy to hear, but Zandvoort is maybe not the best track when it comes to wheel-to-wheel action. The F1 Dutch GP has been fortunate enough to have weather and safety car intervention make things interesting in the last two seasons, but in general, overtaking can be a bit painful around the track.

Rain is expected to make an appearance so maybe that could mix things up but if it doesn't then we're looking at a scenario where the race is a bit processional.

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#1 Lando Norris wins the 2024 F1 Dutch GP

Lando Norris has gotten a lot of stick from fans and pundits for his inability to convert the opportunities for wins into actual results. Having said that, there's no denying that Lando is performing at a very high level right now. That pole position was precision personified, putting him in the perfect position to keep the lead at the start and then drive into the sunset.

There is however a caveat and it is the forecast of showers making an appearance during the race. If that does happen, it would make things a lot more tricky and bring the Mercedes drivers into contention as well.

Having said that, while we cannot discount Max Verstappen pulling out something special, we're backing Lando Norris to shut the doubters up once and for all and win the F1 Dutch GP.