Another McLaren head-to-head, Hadjar chasing big points, and unsettled weather – What To Watch For in the Dutch Grand Prix

Chris Medland picks out five key things to keep an eye on when the lights go out on race day at Zandvoort.

Aug 30, 2025 5:30pm UTC

ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS - AUGUST 30: Pole position qualifier Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren

From a top two separated by just 0.012s to the home hero waiting to take advantage of any incidents, and from a rookie chasing the best result of their career so far to another enticing weather forecast, here are five things to keep an eye on when we go racing once again in Zandvoort…

1. Tiny margins between the McLarens

Much of this season has often been a fight between the two McLaren drivers, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris the clear favourites for the Drivers’ Championship this year. On Saturday, that battle was as close as ever, with Piastri pipping his team mate to pole position by just 0.012s.

Remarkably, it is the second time this season that pole has been decided by that exact margin - with Max Verstappen beating Norris by 0.012s in Japan, and it still isn’t the closest fight we’ve seen so far. That was in Saudi Arabia, where Verstappen beat Piastri by 0.010s.