Race preview: Dutch Grand Prix

Here’s everything you need to know about AA23’s upcoming visit to Zandvoort

Published

27 AUG 2025

Est. reading time

4 min

The return of Formula 1 is almost upon us — and Alex will be raring to get back on track after the summer break.

Zandvoort is the setting for Round 15 of the campaign, as AA23 bids to record his 10th points haul of 2025 by the Dutch coast.

Albono can reflect on a successful first few months behind the wheel of Atlassian Williams Racing’s FW47, but must now continue that form into the business end of the season.

He’ll be looking to build on a tally of 54 points and eighth spot in the Drivers’ Standings, starting with this weekend’s trip to North Holland.

Previous visits to the Netherlands

The Dutch GP returned to the F1 calendar in 2021, having previously been a regular fixture until 1985.

As a result, Alex has only driven at the Circuit Zandvoort with Williams, in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The first of those visits saw our Thai racer just miss out on the points after a P12 finish — but better was to come the following year, when Albono placed an impressive P8 in the Netherlands.

Driving in tricky conditions, AA23 initially dropped from a P4 starting position down to P15, before navigating the heavy rain to climb back through the field.

He even rose as high as P6, ahead of a switch to intermediate tyres that saw him return to the track in P9.

In the midst of another torrential downpour, Alex passed George Russell’s Mercedes to claim P8 and add another four points to the team’s total.

“You could argue we should’ve pitted earlier at the start of the race, but we stuck to our guns and it worked for us with tyre management, managing for 40-odd laps on the softs,” he said after the race.

“You can only do that with a car that’s good and it felt strong all weekend. It was very easy to control the front and rear degradation, just with tools and driving, always able to shift the balance where I needed it to be.”

Last year’s stint in the Netherlands wasn’t quite as successful, with Alex only placing P14, so he’ll be keen to conjure a repeat of 2023 when he takes to the track this weekend.

Track guide

The Circuit Zandvoort is a fusion of racing tradition and modern innovation, following upgrades ahead of its return to Formula 1 in 2021.

Expect a rollercoaster ride when Round 15 gets underway, thanks to the venue’s high-speed, banked corners and narrow track width.

With a total length of 4.259 km (2.646 miles) and 14 turns, a lap kicks off with a pair of hairpins at Turn 1 and a particularly testing banked Turn 3.

Sector 2 then sees a series of fast, sweeping corners as the track widens, moving into a slow-speed chicane for drivers to navigate at Turns 11 and 12.

Banking at Turn 14 brings things to a close, at one of F1’s most captivating circuits.

Keep up to date

The best way to stay up to date with all of Alex’s progress in the Netherlands is via the AA23 website and app.

Our live blog will cover all the action — from FP1 through to Sunday’s race — so you won’t miss a beat while Albono is in Zandvoort.

Free Practice 1 gets underway at 12.30pm local time (CEST) on Friday, before FP2 later that day at 4pm.

Saturday sees Free Practice 3 commence at 11.30am, ahead of the all-important Qualifying at 3pm.

Finally, the weekend’s main event gets started at 3pm CEST on Sunday — so set your alarms for that one, wherever you are in the world!

Claim your Dutch GP Fan Passport stamp

As the build up to Round 15 gathers pace, make sure to get hold of your Dutch GP Fan Passport stamp before the action begins in North Holland.

Our latest stamp is another wonderfully designed ‘Albono’ — a digital avatar of AA23 — that features him kitted out in orange attire that mirrors the Dutch fans’ famous sea of orange at Zandvoort.

It’s a worthy addition to your Fan Passport collection, and you can download it now via the link below.

But don’t wait to get involved, as it won’t be available for too long after racing concludes in the Netherlands.

Claim it now, then, and enjoy the Dutch Grand Prix!

The Dutch Albono is ready to collect!