Formula 1 will be heading to Zandvoort – the place where Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes had faced immense jeering from fans back in 2021 – in a few days for the 2023 Dutch GP. 2 years after the incident that Hamilton had claimed to not be a “part of the sport”, Toto Wolff praised the atmosphere at Zandvoort. He revealed that he cannot wait to travel to the Dutch track, as per PlanetF1,
The 2021 season saw one of the tightest Formula 1 championship battles in recent history, with Verstappen and Hamilton going toe to toe for the greatest prize in motorsports. Quite naturally, the emotions and passion were being reflected by the fans as well, who made sure to leave no stone unturned in their quest to support their favorite driver.
All of this led to Hamilton being jeered at intensely by the Verstappen fans, known as the Orange army when the Briton claimed P2 during the Dutch GP. The Mercedes driver had taken everything in a sporting manner and even appreciated the passion that the fans were showing for their hero, Verstappen.
Toto Wolff heaps praise on the Dutch fans
Fast forward two years and Mercedes are heading to Zandvoort once again within a few days. This time, however, the power balance is completely tilted towards Red Bull. The Milton Keynes-based outfit has managed to win all of the 12 races in the first half of the season.
However, as quoted by PlanetF1, Toto Wolff recently claimed that he was looking forward to resuming the season and there is no better place to do it than Zandvoort. Wolff said, “Zandvoort is a fantastic place to resume the season,” and appreciated the undulating, banked nature of the track.
one week left till zandvoort, when orange army will paint the town orange 🧡 nothing can compare pic.twitter.com/J1ursBUT27
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) August 20, 2023
He also praised the atmosphere that surrounds the Dutch GP every year and said, “There’s always an incredible atmosphere with the passionate Dutch fans. And it’s always a fantastic celebration of our sport. I’m sure this year will be no different and I’m excited to get there.”
Mercedes are slowly making progress
Mercedes started out the season slow but have managed to claw back the deficit as the season progressed. Their upgrades have worked wonders and Hamilton even managed to pip Verstappen to pole position at the Hungarian GP, only to lose the lead during the race.
The Silver Arrows currently stand P2 in the constructor’s standings, a comfortable 51 points ahead of Aston Martin in P3. Even though catching up with Red Bull might seem impossible at this point, Mercedes are definitely moving in the right direction, and even a P2 in Zandvoort would motivate the team back at the factory to keep working hard and improving their car.
