21/08/2024
NEWS STORY
Max Verstappen: It was good to spend some time relaxing with family and friends over the summer break and we are feeling refreshed and ready for the second half of the season. It is great to start it back at my home race; it is always a fantastic atmosphere, and the fans are incredible, so it is a special one for me. It is a great circuit, with its short straights and narrow track and hopefully we can come back even stronger for this race. We are looking forward to the week ahead and hopefully we can be fighting for the win.
Sergio Perez: I am looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend. The summer break was very important for everyone in the Team and the whole sport, with so many races now everyone needs the rest and reset time more than ever. I spent my time in Mexico with family and I feel refreshed and ready to go for the second half of the season. I know all my Team feel the same, I have been in Milton Keynes this week with them. Everyone will notice a change on the radio on our side of the garage in Zandvoort, Hugh my Race Engineer is expecting a baby very soon so will be spending some time at home and I wish him and his family the best of luck with their new arrival! Woody, my Performance Engineer will step up in the meantime. I know what we can extract from the car in the coming weeks and we will do our best to maximise the second half of 2024.
Stats & Facts
• Max is due to make his 200th Grand Prix start this weekend. He will be the 23rd driver in history to reach that milestone, but the youngest to a double century at age 26 years 330 days.
• Max has won from pole position at all three Dutch GPs to have taken place during his lifetime so far.
• Checo set the fastest lap at the Belgian GP, a vital achievement as not only did he and the Team gain a point, but it was at the expense of Lando Norris and McLaren, the Team's closest challengers in both championships.
• Checo took the lead in the wet on lap three of last year's Dutch GP, and thereafter he and Max led every lap of the race, even during the heavy rain and red flag in the closing laps.
• The Dutch GP will be Max's 59th race using the #1 on his car as the reigning World Champion. Only previous champions Seb Vettel (77 races) and Michael Schumacher (120 races) have worn the number for longer during their F1 careers.