Verstappen can give his home Dutch race a sendoff to celebrate

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands, Aug 19 : Max Verstappen can give his home Dutch Grand Prix a fitting sendoff this weekend by becoming Formula One's sixth different winner in six races.

The old-school seaside circuit is slipping off the calendar after this year's race and victory on Sunday would be a bittersweet occasion for Red Bull's four-time world champion and his throngs of orange-shirted supporters.

Verstappen has come close to winning this season, with two second places including Hungary before the August break that ended this week, and the 28-year-old has always been on the podium - three wins and two second places - since the track returned to the championship in 2021.

He has also led 200 of the 360 F1 laps raced at Zandvoort in his lifetime and had three poles. 

"I have had so many good memories here in Zandvoort and to have been able to race in front of my home crowd for the past few years has been a privilege and one of my many highlights," said the Dutch driver, who will race with a special 'Delft blue' tribute helmet.

He will have a 'new' teammate this weekend, with Liam Lawson returning to the garage opposite after regular seat-holder Isack Hadjar was ruled out with a wrist injury. That also means a comeback for Japan's Yuki Tsunoda, taking the Kiwi's place at Racing Bulls.

DIFFERENT WINNER EVERY WEEKEND 

While the season started a new era with dominant Mercedes winning six races in a row, one for George Russell and five for championship leader Kimi Antonelli, the last five have told another story with a different winner every weekend.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, Russell, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Antonelli and McLaren's Lando Norris have been the winners and now Verstappen and McLaren's Oscar Piastri look most likely to