Motorsports
Dutch Drama Awaits as F1 Returns to Zandvoort
Zandvoort, Netherlands – After a month-long summer break, Formula One roars back this weekend at the seaside track of Zandvoort, where the Dutch Grand Prix promises drama on and off the asphalt. With 10 races left, the championship fight is tighter than ever, and storylines are plenty. Here are five things to watch.
McLaren’s papaya puzzle
McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri head into Zandvoort as clear front-runners. Norris won here last year, while Piastri leads the standings by just nine points. The team’s so-called “papaya rules” allow the pair to race freely, with one condition: don’t hit each other. That pact already failed once in Canada. With tensions rising, the big question is whether McLaren will let them keep dueling or lean toward a clear No. 1 driver.
Verstappen’s redemption bid
For once, Max Verstappen is not the man to beat at his home race. Last year, the reigning champion endured a nightmare weekend, spinning in practice, losing pole to Norris, and finishing way off the pace. Adding insult, Norris cheekily mocked Verstappen’s usual “simply lovely” radio call. Now, the Dutchman faces the roar of his orange-clad fans with hopes of a miracle drive to turn the tide.
Hamilton’s Ferrari blues
Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has been anything but smooth. The seven-time world champion stunned many by calling himself “completely useless” in Hungary before the break. At 40, speculation about retirement is growing, though Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur insists he has the team’s full support. Fans will be watching closely to see if a summer reset reignites Hamilton’s spark.
Silly season gossip
The break may have cooled engines, but it fired up the rumor mill. George Russell’s contract with Mercedes is still unsigned, fueling speculation despite his confidence that a deal is only a matter of time. Elsewhere, teams remain cautious about major changes ahead of next year’s regulations, but Zandvoort’s paddock chatter will be buzzing.
Zandvoort’s chaos factor
The dunes of Zandvoort always deliver unpredictability. Last year’s heavy rain caused crashes, including Logan Sargeant’s near-total wreck in his Williams. This weekend’s showers could play into Verstappen’s wet-weather skills. Dutch fans, already famous for their sea of orange, will make the most of it – especially since this is Zandvoort’s penultimate F1 appearance.
The stage is set: tight battles, simmering rivalries, and the roar of the orange army. Zandvoort rarely disappoints.
German carmaker Audi has revealed its first Formula One car ahead of its full factory entry under the sport’s new 2026 rules, laying out a long-term target to fight for titles before the decade ends.
The car, called the Audi R26, was shown in Paris and introduces the brand’s first-ever single-seater. The livery carries a mostly grey finish, with Audi’s four rings highlighted in red on the rear wing. The team said the design aims to stand out visually while keeping a clean and restrained look.
Audi enters Formula One after taking over the Sauber operation, which will run under the Audi name from 2026. The transition keeps continuity on the driver side, with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto staying on after racing for Sauber last season.
Project head Mattia Binotto said the incoming technical regulations offered the right entry point for the brand, allowing Audi to build its programme around a clean-sheet rule set.
Team principal Jonathan Wheatley described the car as the product of years of work across Audi’s facilities, while stressing that the unveiling marks only the beginning. He said the focus now is on building habits, systems, and a competitive mindset that improve with every race weekend.
Like the rest of the grid, Audi’s new car will not make a public debut straight away. Initial running is scheduled for closed tests next week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where teams will begin early validation work ahead of the 2026 season.
Audi becomes the latest major manufacturer to commit fully to Formula One, joining the championship at a time when new engine rules and sustainability targets are reshaping the sport’s long-term direction.
Mercedes has confirmed that chief designer John Owen will leave the Formula One team later this year, ending a long run at the Brackley-based outfit that dates back nearly two decades.
Owen, 52, joined the team in 2007 when it was still operating as Honda. He stayed through the dramatic transition to Brawn GP, which stunned the paddock by winning both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships in 2009. When the operation became the Mercedes Formula One Team, Owen remained a central figure in its technical structure.
During Mercedes’ dominant era from 2014 to 2021, the team secured seven drivers’ titles and eight constructors’ championships. Owen’s work in car design placed him among the key architects of that success.
Mercedes said Owen has decided to step away from Formula One and will begin a period of gardening leave later this year. The team added that he will remain involved during the transition period to ensure continuity.
His role as director of car design will be taken over by Giacomo Tortora, who currently serves as engineering director. Deputy technical director Simone Resta will oversee the design group as part of the restructuring.
The announcement comes as the Formula One season approaches. Pre-season testing begins next month in Bahrain Pre-Season Testing, ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8.
Mercedes said Owen’s departure was amicable and acknowledged his long-standing contribution to the team’s competitive history.
Nasser Al-Attiyah sealed his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Yanbu on Saturday after a controlled final stage, while Argentina’s Luciano Benavides clinched the bike crown by two seconds in one of the closest finishes in recent memory.
Driving a Dacia, Al-Attiyah entered the final 105km stage with a comfortable buffer and avoided mistakes to finish ninth on the day, enough to secure overall victory by almost 10 minutes over Spain’s Nani Roma in a Ford. Roma’s teammate Mattias Ekstrom won the last stage and completed the overall car podium in third.
The win gave Al-Attiyah his sixth Dakar car title after previous victories in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023. The 55-year-old also brought his career Dakar stage win total to 50 during the rally. Competing with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, he took control of the standings early and stayed clear of late drama.
“We’ve worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it’s there. We are so happy to win,” Al-Attiyah said at the finish.
For Romanian manufacturer Dacia, the victory came at only its second Dakar attempt and delivered its first overall win in the event.
Al-Attiyah now sits alone in second place on the all-time Dakar car winners list, moving ahead of Ari Vatanen and Carlos Sainz, who both have four titles. Stephane Peterhansel remains the benchmark with eight car wins.
“This is my sixth victory. I still need to break Peterhansel’s record,” Al-Attiyah said.
Last year’s champion Yazeed Al Rajhi retired earlier in the rally due to mechanical problems.
In the bike category, Benavides secured his first Dakar title after finishing second on the final stage aboard a KTM, edging Honda rider Ricky Brabec by two seconds overall. Brabec, a two-time Dakar winner, lost time near the finish after taking a wrong line.
“I’ve dreamed of this moment my whole life,” Benavides said after the result was confirmed.
Brabec had been on course for a third title before the navigation error in the closing kilometers. Benavides said the opportunity appeared late in the stage and he committed when it mattered.
“Even yesterday it seemed impossible, but I still felt it could happen,” he said. “I saw the opening and I went for it.”
Spain’s Edgar Canet won the final bike stage, while Tosha Schareina finished third on the day and third overall.
The victory added another chapter to the Benavides family history at Dakar, following earlier wins by Luciano’s older brother Kevin.
“Nine years in the Dakar and my first win,” Benavides said. “My brother and I are making history. It’s a dream come true.”
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