This time Verstappen has home advantage, as well as pole position again, and a crowd of 70,000 almost entirely on the Red Bull driver's side in the first Dutch Formula One race in 36 years. The 23-year-old is three points adrift of seven times Formula One world champion Hamilton but set to wrest back the overall lead at a fast track where overtaking is likely to be difficult. The opening corners could be critical but Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said there was no reason to assume a repeat of Silverstone, were Hamilton won and Verstappen ended up in hospital, was on the cards. Verstappen has won six races so far this year, and started six of the last seven on pole position, while Hamilton has won four and had only three poles but been more consistent than his rival. Wolff said he would not be discussing the strategy for turn one and two with Hamilton.

Source: The Star September 04, 2021 17:37 UTC