With low temperatures at Circuit Zandvoort, the shortest pit lane on the schedule and Pirelli’s three hardest tire compounds on offer, nobody thought the prime strategy for Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix would rely on the hard tires.
Nobody, that is, except for the strategists at Mercedes-AMG Petronas. A one-stop that became a three-stop elevated George Russell to second, and a two-stop for Lewis Hamilton saw the victory slip between his fingers before dropping to a disappointing fourth at the checkered flag.
The three top qualifiers in Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as well as fifth-place Sergio Perez, predictably started on the soft compound, leaving the window open for the Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Russell from fourth and sixth, as well as McLaren’s Lando Norris in seventh, to start the race on the yellow-walled medium compound.
Predictably, Verstappen rocketed off into the dunes, with Leclerc and Sainz just not quite able to keep up. Yet, just a few laps later, Sainz saw silver in his mirrors.
Despite the cloud cover and the W13’s reputation for poor tire warming, Hamilton was able to reel in Sainz, easily closing to within DRS range of the Ferrari before lap 10. With the soft runners diving one-by-one into the pit lane, by lap 20 the two Mercedes ran first and second for the first time in 2022, while the others closed in on fresh mediums.
LAP 25/72
Verstappen is slowly reeling in Russell 🎣
However… both Mercedes have yet to pit and it looks like they are on a one pit-stop strategy. #DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/42FB8OuCJG
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 4, 2022
On lap 30, Hamilton hit pit lane for the white-sided hards, followed two laps later by Russell. They emerged outside the podium positions, but the Silver Arrows had pace.
LAP 37/72
Hamilton gets past the Minister for Defence AKA Checo Perez! 😃
Moments later the pair encounter Vettel at Turn 3, and Hamilton almost loses the gained position 😮#DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/VlVZfAsJKv
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 4, 2022
On lap 37, Hamilton battled past a fiercely defending Perez to take third, with Russell following him through two laps later. With Leclerc and Verstappen still needing to pit, the seven-time World Champion had the win in sight.
Then Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri stopped on the track. Leclerc dove into the pit lane, predicting a safety car to leave Hamilton in second, but the No. 22 started back up. However, a lap later,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Frontstretch…