Zandvoort showdown: What to watch at Dutch GP 2025?

Formula 1 comes back from the summer break with a title fight between McLaren teammates, Ferrari looking for a reset, and off-track intrigue setting the tone Zandvoort at the 2025 Dutch GP.

Zandvoort is tight, short and old-school, with steeply banked corners and limited passing zones that reward track position and qualifying nerve.

So, you can expect most action into the Tarzan hairpin and through the final banked turn, with strategy car interventions.

It’s simply a circuit that punishes mistakes and often turns Saturdays into the decisive day.

McLaren lead both title races after the break, with Oscar Piastri on 284 points and Lando Norris on 275, while Max Verstappen sits third on 187.

In the Constructor’s standings, McLaren hold 559 points, with Ferrari second on 260 and Mercedes third on 236.

That sets up a high-pressure restart at the Dutch Grand Prix where every qualifying lap and pit call will count.

Piastri vs Norris: A fight to watch this Sunday

The knife-edge gap between McLaren’s pair is nine points, with both trading wins and poles across the first half.

Piastri’s form has been relentlessly tidy, while Norris’ performances improved before the break, taking three wins in the last four rounds. As the second half kicks off at Zandvoort, this is the fight to watch.

Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton seek bounce-back

Ferrari arrive needing a clean reset. Charles Leclerc holds fifth spot in the standings and Lewis Hamilton sixth as the team tries to convert one - lap flashes into race-day consistency.

Zandvoort’s emphasis on execution offers a chance to steady the season.

Ferrari also holds a slender edge over Mercedes for second in the Constructors’, heightening the stakes.

Can the Scuderia turn things around in the second half of the season just as they did in 2024?

George Russell’s contract and Cadillac’s 2026 signal

George Russell’s future beyond 2025 remains a live storyline. He and Mercedes say there’s “no rush,” with the driver hinting it’s a matter of when, not if, a new deal gets done for 2026?

George Russell’s future beyond 2025 remains a live storyline. He and Mercedes say there’s “no rush,” with the driver hinting it’s a matter of when, not if, a new deal gets done for 2026.

Which teams need a stronger second half?

Red Bull start the run-in fourth in the Constructors’ and need a reset to close on Mercedes and Ferrari. Meanwhile, Williams lead a tight midfield pack but face pressure from Aston Martin, Sauber, and Racing Bulls.