Will Verstappen's nightmare continue? - What to watch for at the 2025 Dutch GP

The Dutch Grand Prix marks the start of Formula 1’s second part of the season, and with it comes a series of compelling storylines that could shape the remainder of 2025.

After the summer break, Zandvoort is perfectly placed to serve as a reset point – or a reality check.

Max Verstappen arrives at his home race without a championship fight to cling to, Lewis Hamilton is in search of a fresh start after a turbulent summer, Mercedes is experimenting again with its technical direction, and McLaren’s drivers are quietly trying to manage a title battle that could yet boil over.

Here’s the main storylines ahead of the Dutch GP.

Does Verstappen stand a chance?

Verstappen’s prospects for a strong performance in his home race are under intense scrutiny following his worst race of the season in Hungary.

While Zandvoort traditionally serves as a fortress for the Dutchman, buoyed by overwhelming home support and a circuit layout that suits his aggressive driving style, this year presents a very different challenge, particularly after Red Bull was nowhere in the final race before the summer break.

This will also be the first time the Red Bull driver arrives at his home race essentially already out of the title fight.

The Hungarian race exposed Red Bull’s weaknesses like few other circuits have done this year, Verstappen finishing over a minute behind the race-winning McLaren of Lando Norris in ninth place.

Since its return to the calendar in 2021, Verstappen has won the Zandvoort event three times in a row before finishing second to Norris last year.

Red Bull’s current trajectory is raising serious questions about whether it can deliver a competitive enough car to enable its star man to at least fight for a podium finish this weekend.

The four-time champion didn’t expand much on the issues he had in Hungary, just saying that he had no grip all weekend.

Zandvoort’s flowing, fast, and banked corners should, in theory, help Red Bull’s cause more than Hungaroring’s tight, twisty, and low-speed layout, but it’s very hard to predict where Verstappen will be in the competitive order given his last race.

At Zandvoort, all eyes will be on to see if the Dutch hero and Red Bull can rediscover their spark, or if his home race becomes another painful reminder of a season slipping away.

Has the summer break helped Hamilton?

Hamilton’s summer break must have been a crucial period for reflection and reset amid a disappointing run of races that saw his mood take a dip for the worse.

His struggle to adapt to the Ferrari, particularly its engine braking system and overall feel, has left him in uncharted territory, not only not fighting at the front but being dominated by his team-mate.

Before the break, Hamilton publicly expressed frustration, even going so far as to call himself “absolutely useless” after a tough Hungarian Grand Prix weekend where he qualified 12th and finished outside the points.

Critics have noted signs of diminished self-confidence, warning that Hamilton must demonstrate a turnaround soon to justify his seat at Ferrari beyond 2025.

Neither Hamilton nor Ferrari is likely to care much about what the critics have to say, but there is no doubt that there has to be a change, at least in the British driver’s attitude, if the team is to believe next year could be a good chance to fight up front.

The Dutch GP should reveal whether the break has given Hamilton the reset he desperately needs, or whether his struggles with the Ferrari are more deeply rooted than a simple pause can fix.

Is Mercedes back after suspension ‘downgrade’?

In Hungary, Mercedes showed signs of returning to form after losing its way in recent races, the German squad deciding to ditch – for the second time – its latest suspension.

The revised suspension, introduced at Imola in May, was intended to improve mechanical grip and tyre management but ended up causing instability and unpredictability in the car’s handling, particularly during high-speed cornering.

Both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli struggled, with the Italian in particular losing confidence and finding the car tricky to drive.

Reverting to the older suspension set-up in Hungary restored stability and allowed the drivers to drive more naturally, directly contributing to an upturn in performance.

This switch was evident in Hungary, where Russell finished on the podium, signalling a return to a more competitive and reliable package.

In fact, the British driver said he regretted not having swapped suspensions earlier.

Whether this step really marks Mercedes’ way back to the front behind McLaren will become clearer at Zandvoort.

Will the McLaren fight intensify?

The title fight between Piastri and Norris has been remarkably tame and amicable so far in 2025, despite the high stakes involved.

Both McLaren drivers have dominated much of the season, with Piastri leading Norris by just nine points heading into the second half of the year.

But despite them being the only two title contenders, their relationship remains positive, characterised by mutual respect and constructive competition rather than acrimony or hostility.