Max Verstappen in P6 in the Zandvoort Sprint: “Whenever I got closer to Piastri …”

Formula 1 Sprints were introduced to offer fans added value. We certainly cannot say the same about the uneventful 24-lap race in the dunes of Zandvoort.

On the North Sea coast, there were only two changes in the top eight positions from start to finish – when Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc dived at Lando Norris in front of him and snatched second place from the McLaren driver; and when Kimi Antonelli overtook Oscar Piastri straight away at the start.

Max Verstappen dived into the race from P6, behind Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and ahead of Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), and that was exactly the order when the chequered flag fell.

The gaps between these three Grand Prix aces varied; at times Verstappen closed in slightly on the McLaren driver, at others he had Hamilton more firmly in his rear-view mirror. But a serious challenge never materialised.

Max Verstappen said of his race: “The car’s balance was, of course, the same as in Sprint qualifying – so not great. The car didn’t run too badly in the Sprint, but we’ll have to work on the set-up to improve our single-lap pace.”

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“I think I could have gone faster than Piastri in front of me if I’d had a clear run, but overtaking is tricky here. As soon as I got closer to Oscar, the tyres immediately started to overheat. So you can’t overtake. You’re stuck.”

“We now need to look at how we can change the set-up to be more competitive in GP qualifying and then in the Grand Prix. We’re lacking raw speed, though tyre wear was surprisingly low.”