Painting the town orange

Formula 1 racers will be going Dutch this weekend, giving Max Verstappen a home-track advantage in hopes he notches another record by clinching his ninth win on the trot.

The Red Bull racer, who currently ranks number one in the driver standings with 314 points, is all geared up to race on August 27 in the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

The Belgian-Dutch driver will not only be chasing a third successive home win but also Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine wins on the trot.

According to former nine-time Formula One Grand Prix winner and Red Bull driver, Mark Webber, the only thing that can stop him from matching Vettel’s tally, and probably breaking it in Italy, is the reliability of his RB19.

“It’s only reliability [problems] that will stop it, I think,” Webber told Formula1.com. “I think the world would like to see him win his home race. To do the business there would be extraordinary. He should win that one and then he’s equal.”

Red Bull’s RB19, despite being labelled an ‘average’ car by technical director Pierre Waché, had the team winning all 12 races. The team is now on to 13 in total, with their run beginning back at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, breaking McLaren’s 1988 record of 11 on the trot.

Verstappen, who is also racing out to a 125-point lead over his teammate Sergio Perez in the Drivers’ Championship, is on course for a third successive World title. “He’s the one out there executing, he’s dancing when the curtains go back, and he goes out on stage and does it,” Webber added. “We know the level of intensity he brings – he’s top drawer. For the opposition, of course, he’s now well-established in his career, he’s got an immense amount of experience.

“He’s going to come back refreshed, and I think because there’s even no pressure on him, it’s even more of an advantage for him.”

Red Bull are also leading the Constructors’ Championship as well with 503 points to Mercedes’ 247.