Can Verstappen turn 'powerful weapon' into advantage behind the McLarens?

10:54, 31 Aug

byKada Sarkozi

After qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix, many have already looked ahead to what strategies could look like in Zandvoort. Tyre manufacturer Pirelli shared their possibilities for Sunday.

It will be an all-McLaren front row for the Dutch Grand Prix, after Oscar Piastri claimed his first pole position since the weekend in Barcelona.

The Australian's teammate, Lando Norris will start from second place, while Max Verstappen finished third.

Talking to GPblog among others, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella already reflected on the Dutchman having a spare soft tyre for the race, which could be a 'powerful weapon if used at the right time.'

Out of the frontrunner teams, only two Red Bull Racing drivers and Kimi Antonelli have a fresh set of softs for Sunday afternoon, however, the Italian and Yuki Tsunoda were eliminated in Q2. They will line up on the sixth row of the grid.

Each frontrunner also has a new set of medium tyres at their disposal.

That is almost the case in terms of hard tyres as well, only except for Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, who don't have a fresh set of that compound.

According to the Italian tyre manufacturer, the one-stop strategy named as the first option, with switching from the mediums to the hards.

Two-stops strategies are also available after the speed limit in the pit lane was increased to 80 kph.

Then, all three compounds could be at use, or a stint on the mediums and then two on the hard tyres is also suggested.

Could rain be on the cards in Zandvoort? Check out the weather report here!