Could Mercedes have beaten Verstappen to Dutch GP victory?

After being pushed hard by Ferrari in qualifying, it was Mercedes who emerged as Red Bull’s closest contender on race day with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell showing great pace.

But some late strategy calls left Hamilton fuming over the radio after Mercedes kept him out during the safety car, leaving him powerless to stop Verstappen from passing him on the restart for the lead.

So why did Mercedes not pit Hamilton, and did it stand any chance of beating Verstappen and Red Bull to the win this weekend?

Explaining Mercedes’ strategy and thinking, Autosport F1 reporter Luke Smith is joined by Motorsport.com F1 editor Jonathan Noble for the latest edition of Paddock Packdown from Zandvoort.