Postcards from... Zandvoort

There couldn't have been a more appropriate place than his home race for Max Verstappen to set a new record. Sunday's success at Zandvoort sealed the Dutch driver's ninth consecutive victory, equalling the record set by Sebastian Vettel back in 2013. As soon as he got out of the car, Max held up nine fingers in triumph: so much for the cliché that drivers don't really care about records and statistics... But this was no ordinary race. The sudden rain on the first lap dropped Verstappen from first to fourth position, and – with less than 10 laps to go – everything was called into question once more by a big crash that led to a red flag and an interminable wait. At the restart, Max kept his concentration – despite Fernando Alonso breathing relentlessly down his neck – and managed the last five laps with consummate skill to bring home yet another win. Then, all he had to worry about was how to celebrate it.

Fernando Alonso hadn't tasted podium Champagne – or to be accurate, Ferrari Trento's spumante – since the Canadian Grand Prix in mid-June, and this had taken an effect on his previously radiant mood this year. Back on the podium in Holland, the Spaniard was visibly delighted with a hard-earned second place: the result of both Aston Martin's newfound competitiveness after the summer break and, above all, Alonso's prodigious talent – as his double overtake on both Albon and Russell in Turn 3 on the first lap proved. Once the race was over, Fernando's demeanour initially betrayed a certain regret at not having been able to find a way to outwit Verstappen in those last five laps after the restart: a dream he had no doubt privately harboured throughout the entire 40 minutes of the red flag period. “Although maybe I wouldn't have been able to get out of the circuit!” he joked afterwards. As well as another podium finish, there were two other big sources of satisfaction for Alonso: that of having given Aston Martin the first fastest race lap in its history and also that of having become the first driver in Formula 1 history to build up a 20-year gap (plus two months and 12 days) between the first and latest fastest laps of his career, dating from Canada 2003 to now. It's a benchmark that Alonso is set to extend, given that in the meantime he has also stretched the gap between the first podium of his career (Malaysia 2003) and this latest one to 20 years, five months and four days.

Pierre Gasly hadn't enjoyed the lofty view from a grand prix podium for more than two years. The last time was at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when he finished the race in third place, just like his score at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday. The Zandvoort result came just when it was needed most for the Frenchman, who has never finished higher than seventh so far this year. With the 15 points earned on Sunday, Gasly also overtook his teammate Esteban Ocon in the championship standings heading into the Italian Grand Prix: the highlight of his career after Pierre unexpectedly won in 2020 driving for AlphaTauri.

Max Verstappen put on the sort of masterclass that was rivalled only by the spectacular antics of the 300,000 and more fans who flocked to Zandvoort over the course of the weekend, lighting up the grandstands in the vibrant orange colours of the Dutch national flag. Come rain or shine, the fans never stopped singing and celebrating their national hero, accompanied by an extraordinary soundtrack of sheer joyous enthusiasm that was impeccably laid on by the race promoters. Something else to take on board was the widespread use of car-free transport, including trains and bicycles, to get to the circuit. This was a lesson that should be adopted not only by more promoters in Formula 1 but also by organisers of major sporting and other events in general. You saw it first here.

For Max Verstappen, receiving the Pirelli Pole Position Award has almost become a tradition, but this time round he found himself being given the trophy by a young woman who could be about to mark an achievement that's equally important. Marta Garcia, aged 23 from Spain, is the current leader of the F1 Academy standings: 43 points ahead of her closest pursuer, Lena Bühler from Switzerland. With the three races of the final round still to be held in Austin during the United States Grand Prix weekend, perhaps both Max and Marta will find themselves celebrating new titles in the same place in the near future?