On Track

Lance: Zandvoort challenge like Imola, Suzuka

Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team's Lance Stroll has compared the challenge of Zandvoort to F1 classics Suzuka and Imola ahead of the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix.

Lance and the team arrived in Zandvoort on Tuesday and experienced the new track layout for the first time during Thursday's track walk.

The Canadian is one of the few currently active Formula One drivers to have experienced the circuit, having raced there in the European Formula Three Championship.

After qualifying third, Lance launched off the line superbly, overtaking two cars into the first corner to take the lead and eventually win the opening F3 race at the circuit in 2016, his title-winning campaign.

The Zandvoort circuit has since undergone wide-ranging changes to bring it up to modern Formula One standards, including two sections of banking steeper than that of the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Zandvoort challenge

Hear from Lance

Lance Stroll is your guide as he brings you his insight into the Dutch Grand Prix, and how the Zandvoort circuit has changed since his European Formula Three success.

Speaking ahead of his track walk, Lance said: "It's a place I loved to come to in Formula Three. I won here and had a pole too.

"It's a fast, old-school circuit, where if you push the limits too hard, it bites back. It's a great place to race.

"The banking is new, so we'll see how it works. It's very steep and should be interesting to experience in the car.

"It's a very exciting lap with the blind corners. There’s a great rhythm across the lap and there's so much character around here. It's a lot of fun to drive and I'm excited to get going.

"I think tracks like Zandvoort are the most exciting we go to. We see it at Suzuka and Imola too. The old-school tracks are great.

"It's exciting when we have limited run-off after the braking zone. It's risk versus reward and there's not a lot of room for error.

"I think there are some little things I've learned from racing here before, but there's a big difference between racing in Formula Three and Formula One.

"It's been repaved, a lot of corners are different, and there's the banking too, which is like a NASCAR track. There will be a lot to learn tomorrow."

Mikey Brown, Sebastian Vettel's No.1 mechanic, experienced the circuit "10-15 years ago" while working in the Creventic Endurance Series championship.

He also completed his own run of the track on Wednesday.

He said: "It's like a rollercoaster. [I experienced it working with] Ginetta G50s in the Creventic Championship, around 10-15 years ago.

"The circuit is amazing. It's tight with little overtaking, and it'll be great in qualifying. It's challenging, fast, flowing, and has very cambered corners.

"There's loads of grip on the inside by the kerb, it's like a mini-rollercoaster. It will be epic to see Formula One cars here."