Young guns dominate, but champ has cards to play.
Who are the best wet weather drivers in Formula 1? That’s the question on everyone’s lips ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandfoort, with a forecast of heavy rain throughout the weekend.
World champion Max Verstappen is the name that crops up immediately in answer to the question, with his two Grand Prix wins in Brazil – in 2016 and 2024 – cited as among the finest wet-track drives of all time.
Factor in that Sunday’s race is Verstappen’s home GP, that he has won it three times in four years, that a famously fervent crowd will be cheering him on and that he has “nothing to lose” after his title defence slipped away over the first part of the season, and 8.95 about him winning on the seaside dunes looks appealing – as does 7.00 for qualifying in pole position.
There’s one problem: opposition Team McLaren has a faster car than his Team Red Bull is able to give him.
McLaren’s young drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are battling it out for championship and merit their 2.25 and 2.35 respectively for a Dutch GP win.
Piastri narrowly tops the log, but Norris has won in rain this year in Australia and Britain and might hold an edge in the conditions.
As the Formula 1 circus returns after its summer holidays, with 10 more races to be staged in 15 weeks, the McLaren teammates’ rivalry is expected to ratchet up. Pressure can lead to mistakes, especially on a slippery track.
Another proven wet-weather ace is Lewis Hamilton (25.90). The seven-time world champ has disappointed since joining Ferrari but has been telling people of a mental reset during the break and vowing to redouble efforts.
Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc (10.90), in contrast, is said to show his talents strictly on bone-dry tarmac.
The names of veterans Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg also come up when the rain comes down and they might be decent bets for a top six finish at 2.75 and 11.00 respectively.
Betway odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
