Alpine arrives on the eve of the Dutch Grand Prix after having captured three points in the Spa-Francorchamps no-race. Uncertainty prevails before getting to know a new circuit like the renewed Zandvoort.
The circuit of Zandvoort It has a long history, as it was not in vain that it was inaugurated in 1949 and, since then, it has hosted a total of 30 editions of the Netherlands Grand Prix.
However, his last appearance on the calendar of the Formula 1 It dates from 1985, having recently undergone a major refurbishment. It’s no wonder, therefore, that Alpine doesn’t really know what to expect from this race.
“It’s nice to visit a historic circuit like Zandvoort, where Formula 1 has not raced in several years,” he says. Marcin budkowski. “Learning a new circuit is always a challenge, especially one that has some banked corners with unusual trajectories, and Fernando and Esteban have done extensive preparation in the simulator with their engineers for this weekend.”
“Work is being done at the factory to understand our pace deficit in the wet”
«The proximity of the track to the seashore means that there is wind and gusts, which will be an additional challenge for the drivers. Hopefully this weekend we can put on a good show for the fans! ”Added the CEO of Alpine F1.
At Spa-Francorchamps, Alpine was much more competitive in the dry than in the wet, so in the face of possible rain this weekend in Zandvoort it is important to understand why.
“Our car seemed to have problems as soon as we put the intermediate tires on and we had a difficult qualifying that did not put us in the best position for the race, “admits the Polish engineer.
“Our qualifying result was not a reflection of the car’s potential or the drivers’ skills in the wet, and work is underway at the factory to understand our pace deficit in the wet and more specifically with the intermediate tires ”, he laments.
“This is even more relevant, since nowadays the extreme rain tire is only used when there is puddled water causing the aquaplaning and, in most cases, the session ends with a red flag. ‘
The banked curves
One of the main hallmarks of the new Zandvoort are two banked curves, especially the one leading to the finish line.
In the opinion of Esteban Ocon, “It’s a really cool track and I’ve enjoyed racing before. I raced there in the DTM in 2016 and it’s a great track, smooth and really nice. The corners come pretty fast and it’s a very intense lap at the wheel.
“The two banked corners are a lot of fun, so tackling them in a Formula 1 car is something I look forward to. Overtaking can be challenging, but who knows until we’ve tried it. Our goal remains the same: We want to maintain our streak of points to consolidate ourselves fifth in the championship, “he reiterates.
Fernando Alonso He has never raced on the Dutch circuit so “Zandvoort will be interesting for everyone, as very few of us have raced on the circuit before. It will be a unique challenge and I am sure that the atmosphere will be good.
“We are not sure how this weekend will go, but racing on a new circuit is not unusual in Formula 1, especially in recent times. We have analyzed a lot of simulation data and I came back to Enstone this week so I feel as prepared as possible », says the Spanish.
“I would say that the cant at the end of the lap will be fun. It is unlike any other curve in Formula 1. I am concerned that overtaking will be difficult at Zandvoort, but we will see after we have rolled a bit. Ultimately, I think that the position on the starting grid will be very important, ”he concludes.