Max Verstappen’s home race is up next with the summer break coming to an end. As the race in Zandvoort approaches, Dutch Journalist Erik van Haren suggests that Lando Norris will receive support at the Dutch GP despite being in a championship fight with the home hero.
Van Haren said on the F1 Nation podcast, “Yeah, I think Lando has a good amount of people cheering for him as well in the Netherlands. And I think you saw the last couple of years, they can cheer for everyone.”
The Dutch reporter gave an example of how the orange army cheered for Fernando Alonso in 2023 as the Spaniard got on the podium. Even Hamilton was cheered on by the Dutch fans during the 2021 race despite the seven-time champion being in a close championship fight with Verstappen.
Norris has previously praised the Dutch fans and the atmosphere while cheekily suggesting how the sea of orange in the stands makes it feel like a home race for McLaren. The Dutch crowd also liked Norris and just like Verstappen, Pitstop Boys and Carte Blanq have made songs about the Brit.
However, the championship fight may sway the fans. The 2024 Austrian GP crash wasn’t taken well by the fans and a repeat of the same might cause the orange army to explode. So, Verstappen remains the favorite.
Verstappen’s orange army
The orange army follows Verstappen around the globe. With the Dutch GP being the most feasible location, thousands of fans attend the event. Van Haren expanded on the Dutchman’s popularity.
The Dutch Journalist said, “The amount of people, some Dutch people, you get to the tracks, you see the people in Austria, in Spa, everywhere in the world, Singapore as well. There are a lot of Dutch fans going there. And that’s because of him.”
He explained that Verstappen’s straightforward personality, driving, and opinion-driven interviews make him very likable. Verstappen has won all the races at Zandvoort since it was reintroduced to the F1 calendar in 2021. The Red Bull driver would want to continue his winning streak as a bonus for the orange army.
