Formula 1 heads to the Netherlands this weekend as the Dutch Grand Prix kicks off the second half of the season – but what sort of weather can the drivers expect at the Circuit Zandvoort?
Back in 2023, Zandvoort played host to a memorable rain-hit race, a day in which Max Verstappen navigated the changeable conditions to claim victory in front of his home crowd. Mixed weather also affected the 2024 event on Friday and Saturday.
As things stand, it looks like showers could again be on the cards for this year’s visit to the Dutch track, with periods of rainfall currently forecast during all three days of action for Round 15 on the calendar.
Alongside the possibility of wet weather, the drivers and teams are also likely to be faced with cloudy and breezy conditions during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
Lando Norris was triumphant at Zandvoort last year, but can the McLaren man succeed again in 2025 and further reduce team mate Oscar Piastri’s championship lead in the process?
Scroll down for a more detailed look at the forecast for the weekend.
2025 Dutch Grand Prix weekend weather forecast
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 – FP1 AND FP2 Conditions: Under the influence of a low pressure area, dull weather, overcast with rain at times. 5-15mm expected. FP1: 18°C // FP2: 19-20°C Maximum temperature expected: 20 Celsius Minimum temperature expected: 16 Celsius Chance of rain: >80%
SATURDAY, AUGUST 30 – FP3 AND QUALIFYING Conditions: Another weather front expected to cross the region. Still cloudy and showery at times. 5-15mm of rain expected. Sustained southerly wind. FP3: 16°C // Q: 18°C Maximum temperature expected: 18 Celsius Minimum temperature expected: 16 Celsius Chance of rain: >80%
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31 – RACE Conditions: High probability of showers, still under the influence of the low pressure area. Windy with moderate southwesterly wind. Race start: 19°C Maximum temperature expected: 19 Celsius Minimum temperature expected: 15 Celsius Chance of rain: 80%
The second half of the 2025 F1 season gets underway this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix – and tyre suppliers Pirelli have now confirmed the compounds that the teams and drivers will have available to them.
For the event at Zandvoort – which will also mark the 500th World Championship round in which Pirelli have had a presence, with their first being at the maiden championship race at Silverstone back in 1950 – the compounds in play will be the C2 as the hard, the C3 as the medium and the C4 as the soft. This selection is one step softer than that brought to the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix.
Drivers will get two sets of the hard tyre (marked white), three sets of the medium tyre (marked yellow), and eight sets of the soft tyre (marked red), as well as access to the green intermediate tyre and the blue full wets, should they be required.
An extra set of softs is reserved for those who reach Q3 in Qualifying, while all drivers must use at least two different slick compounds during the race, providing the track is dry.
In terms of why this year’s compounds are a step softer than those used in Zandvoort last year, Pirelli’s weekend preview explains: “The decision, taken in conjunction with the FIA and the championship promoter, has the aim of increasing the likelihood of a strategy based on two stops, rather than just the one-stop, which has been the predominant choice since this race returned to the calendar in 2022.
“A further step in this direction stems from the FIA’s decision to increase the pit lane speed limit from 60 to 80 km/h, thus reducing the time taken for a pit stop.
“According to simulations provided by the teams, the one-stop is still quickest, partly because overtaking is notoriously difficult at Zandvoort, with very few straights apart from the main one, combined with the fact the whole track is quite narrow.”
Reflecting on the conditions that the drivers and teams can expect, the preview continues: “A lap of the Zandvoort track is 4.259 kilometres in length, running through the dunes on the North Sea coast, just under 40 kilometres from the capital of the Netherlands.
“It boasts 14 low to medium-speed corners – four to the left and 10 to the right – of which the third and last are banked at angles of 19 and 18 degrees respectively, much steeper than the turns at Indianapolis.
“These corners generate very high vertical and lateral loads on the tyres, which requires the teams to pay close attention to set-up and management of the car-tyre package. The aerodynamic downforce level required is very high, similar to that seen in Budapest.
“The track usually offers low levels of grip and this can be greatly exacerbated by sand blown onto the surface by the coastal winds. Being just a few hundred metres from the North Sea, the weather can be very changeable and, at the end of summer, temperatures are usually already below 20C.”
For more information about Pirelli’s F1 tyres, visit pirelli.com.
Borussia Dortmund have extended coach Niko Kovac’s contract by one season until 2027, the club announced on Tuesday.
Kovac, a former boss of Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco, joined Dortmund on an 18-month deal with the club in 11th spot in January 2025.
Despite falling as low as 13th, Kovac helped right the ship, with Dortmund winning 22 of a possible 24 points to close the season and finish in fourth, the final Champions League spot.
“With honest work, clear decisions, and great enthusiasm, we want to help Borussia Dortmund return to our former strength,” Kovac said in a statement.
“We still have a lot to do together.”
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl said Kovac “approaches every game with conviction, intensity and passion,” adding “we believe together we can continue the successful path of last season’s final spurt.”
Considered a disciplinarian with a focus on fitness and work-rate, Kovac made his initial mark as a coach by winning the German Cup as Frankfurt manager in 2018.
Moving to Bayern, Kovac won the double in 2018-19 before he was shown his marching orders the following season.
As a player, the Berlin-born Kovac represented Croatia 83 times, scoring 14 goals, while playing for Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg.
Dortmund began the season with a disappointing 3-3 draw at St Pauli, conceding two goals and being reduced to 10 men in the final five minutes.
Lori Cramer and Charli Jacoby met through rugby and have been dating for around 18 months. In that time have played on the same team at Exeter Chiefs (pictured) as well as against each other, so Saturday’s meeting is nothing new to them.
“We’ve played against each other so many times so we totally keep it separate,” Cramer said.
“There’s rugby and then there’s us and they’re two totally different things.
“Obviously you want to ask what’s the game plan? But I think we’re a bit more professional than that so it hasn’t been a problem in the past.
“I’ve probably got more skin in the game so I’ve got bragging rights. I want to win more than anyone. It is a fun part of it but it doesn’t affect anything else.”
The Wallaroos beat Samoa in their opening game in Salford over the weekend, but being in a tough pool with USA and England means there is little room for error in their next two games – something Cramer is all too aware of.
“It’s a World Cup. You’ve got to win every game, really,” the full-back said.
“This is a game that we’ve been tit-for-tat with the USA for the last couple of encounters so this is definitely a big game for us.”
USA, meanwhile, lost their opener against the Red Roses in Sunderland on Friday, which means they can ill afford to slip up against the Wallaroos. For her part, Jacoby is confident her side can get the job done.
“Australia is going to be our big game. Obviously the goal is to make it to a final, but our final is actually this weekend too,” the prop said.
“Stepping stones for sure, but Australia is the most important game that we’re going to play this tournament. They are physical, but so are we.
“I think that talking about the intensity, the fast pace, the physicality of the first match against England, if we can do all of those things again against Australia, and do it for a little bit longer, I have no doubt that we’ll be 15, 20 points ahead of them.”
Jacoby feels USA’s determination to succeed runs deep due to what could be achieved for women playing rugby in the United States in the future.
“I think there’s a little bit of pressure on this one, not only like internally, squad-wise, but externally,” Jacoby said.
“The amount of eyes that are on this tournament right now have increased so much since we’ve brought in Ilona [Maher], and we’ve had so many rugby personalities come up front now, so there’s a lot of people watching.
“As an individual, I want to do well. As a nation, we want to do well, but this is my last World Cup, and I am retiring after this.
“I’m not saying that any other nation doesn’t have that anger, but we are coming from a place that we were hardly supported before the last World Cup, we were paying for our own kit, and now we’re finally getting the support and resources that we deserve.”
Jacoby is not the only familiar face that Cramer will see on the opposition touchline this weekend. USA’s head coach Sione Fukofuka was previously assistant coach with the Wallaroos.
“Sione has known a lot of us since we were kids and growing up. He’s coached a lot of us, most of us, to be honest. But I think we’ve developed a lot as rugby players since then.
“That’s the beauty of rugby. You can try and shut down a few people that you think you know what they’re going to do, but that just opens it up for someone else. As a full squad, we’ve got a really polished kind of system going on.”
You can buy tickets to USA v Australia in York by clicking here.
Formula 1 kicks off the second half of the season this weekend as the Dutch Grand Prix marks the sport’s return from its summer break – and here’s all the information you need to follow the action live on F1 TV.
Oscar Piastri remains at the top of the Drivers’ Championship ahead of Round 15, but his lead now stands at just nine points from McLaren team mate Lando Norris following the Briton’s victory last time out in Hungary.
Norris was also the race winner when F1 visited Zandvoort in 2024 – but can the 25-year-old repeat that this time around, or will Piastri return to the top step of the podium?
There is likely to be plenty of fan support for Max Verstappen as the Dutchman enters into his home weekend. Red Bull struggled for pace at the Hungaroring, but can they bounce back this time out? And where will Mercedes and Ferrari place in the pecking order?
As usual, we will bring you coverage of all the action from the Dutch Grand Prix across our various platforms.
You can enjoy the coverage from every session live on F1 TV Pro, where we bring you closer to the action via exclusive features like onboard cameras on all 20 of the drivers’ cars, and access to both our Pre-Race and Post-Race Shows.
F1 TV Pro can also be streamed easily via Apple TV, Chromecast Generation 2 and above, Android TV, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku. F1 TV Pro is free of ad breaks and available with commentary in six languages.
New for the 2025 season is F1 TV Premium, a premier service that invites fans to step into the heart of the action with the ability to watch races in 4K Ultra HD/HDR, as well as a personalised Multiview feature available on select devices.
Viewers can watch every F1 Grand Prix, F1 Sprint, Qualifying and practice session live in 4K Ultra HD/HDR at home, with F2, F3, F1 ACADEMY and Porsche Supercup sessions also available to watch live on the platform.
Other highlights on F1 TV include in-depth shows such as Tech Talk Retro, which shines a light on iconic car designs from years gone by, and F1 Icons, which tells the exhilarating stories of legendary drivers of the past.
From a user experience perspective, there is a fresh, mobile-friendly design to make it easier to navigate and select F1 TV content on the go, and an ‘Interactive Schedule’ for web and mobile, enabling users to follow sessions live and access content straight from the schedule.
Meanwhile, more payment methods are available, including AMEX, allowing fans around the world to access F1 TV with ease.
As part of a mid-season promotion, fans can currently get 20% off for four months on an F1 TV Pro or Premium Monthly subscription. The promotion runs until September 1, 2025 at 1030 BST – for full terms and conditions click here. Eligible in Pro and Premium markets only and offer can only be redeemed through F1 TV app or web.
For more information on subscribing to F1 TV you can click here.
F1 TV Pro and Premium are available in selected locations only.
For details of broadcasters in your area, click here.
To find out what time you can watch all the action from the Netherlands, click here.
From a snowy New Zealand winter to the heat of Italy, Blake Affleck (Honda) is enjoying his first taste of competition abroad.
“This is totally different from what I’m used to. I’ve never competed against this many riders before, and the tests are so much rougher than at home. But I’m loving it so far.
“I’ve had some good tests, but then some crashes too. I feel like I’m riding fast, but just doing silly little things that lead to crashes. I will try to calm it down a bit.”
Currently leading the FIM Enduro3 World Championship, Hamish Macdonald is New Zealand’s fastest export, and a notable 6DAYS® absentee. Dorr hopes they can soon provide him with a World Trophy team.
“Hamish Macdonald is New Zealand’s best rider, but we don’t have a World Trophy team to support him,” says Dorr. “We’d love to see that happen.
“He’s here supporting the Juniors from the sidelines, coaching them through the race. But ultimately, we all want this to be the start of something bigger.”
From inside the New Zealand team camp, it is clear the passion is there to make it happen very soon.
With the victory, the Chinese got to nine points and confirmed the top spot in the standings in Pool F, setting up a duel with France, who finished second in Pool C, in the Round of 16. Second with six points, the Dominicans will face Brazil, who topped their pool. Both matches will be held on Sunday, in Bangkok.
Wu Mengjie was China’s leading scorer with 16 points (15 kills, one block), one more than fellow outside hitter Zhuang Yushan, who registered 12 kills, two blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Wang Yuanyuan also got to double digits, tallying ten points with five kills and five blocks.
“I’m very excited about our team’s relentless effort today,” Wu commented. “We felt that we couldn’t play at our best in the first two matches. We prepared very well for today’s match and our performance was much better. I hope we can bring our best game again in the elimination rounds. We’re going to keep charging forward and taking it one step at a time.”
Aston Martin Aramco F1 ACADEMY driver Tina Hausmann discusses her season so far, looks ahead to the next round of the ultra-competitive, all-female, single-seater series at Zandvoort – an event she sees as a home race – and explores what her racing future may hold.
Following a chance to rest and recharge over the summer shutdown, we’re raring to go once more. 14 races down, 10 to come, the 2025 Formula One season resumes this weekend with the Dutch Grand Prix at historic Zandvoort.
Accompanying it on the support bill, the latest round of F1 ACADEMY, with Aston Martin Aramco represented by Tina Hausmann as she looks to build on a solid showing in Canada last time out, the highlight being a fourth-place finish in race three.
Here, she previews the next instalment of the all-female racing series and explains why Zandvoort feels like home despite hailing from Switzerland, reflects on her sophomore season so far, and discusses what might lay in store for her after 2025 as series rules dictate each driver can only spend two years competing in the championship.
How do you reflect on your F1 ACADEMY campaign up to this point?
“I’ve made good progress this year. I’ve grown in confidence each race weekend and results have got better and better, so I’m trying to sustain that momentum for the second half of the season.
“We’ve had some strong results, such as in Canada. That race weekend was one of the most stressful of my career because I was in the thick of my final exams at school; I completed four written four-hour exams before flying to Montréal and five oral exams as soon as I got back home.
“Mentally, it was very demanding to juggle, but it was one of the best race weekends we’ve had so I was really pleased with how we worked together as a team.
“I spent a lot of time in the simulator to prepare for Circuit Gilles Villeneuve as it was my first time racing there and I took heart from how confident I felt after just a few laps.
“It showed me just how important confidence is, particularly at new circuits, and also how we got our preparation right.
“We are aiming to take that and the other positives from the season and use them as a springboard for the remainder of the year, starting at Zandvoort.”
The sport waits for no one and you need to maximise every opportunity you get.
What lessons from your first season in F1 ACADEMY have you been able to apply this year?
“I’ve learned so much at every race weekend on and off the track.
“When I started F1 ACADEMY I thought two years would be a very long time, but it’s flown by. I’ve learned the sport waits for no one and you need to maximise every opportunity you get as a driver.
“I’ve had great support from Aston Martin Aramco and PREMA during my time in F1 ACADEMY, but at the end of the day you are the driver and you need to be proactive if you want to secure a future after your two years in the series. Different highly exciting opportunities are on the horizon. There are only three rounds of this season left, so I need to maximise them and show my full potential.”
F1 ACADEMY is at Zandvoort this weekend. Are you looking forward to racing in the Netherlands?
“Zandvoort is a very special track. In a sense I treat it like a home race because it’s the closest race on the F1 ACADEMY calendar to my native Switzerland; it’s the only race in Europe this year. It’s very different to the other circuits we’re visiting this season, and I like it because it’s old-school. There is a lot of elevation and banking, so it requires quite a unique approach as a driver.
“The majority of the F1 ACADEMY field know the circuit very well as many have raced and tested on it, so the difference between the drivers will be made by who gets up to speed quickest from Free Practice onwards, plus the weather is often variable there so adapting quickly will be key.”
After Zandvoort, F1 ACADEMY heads to Singapore and then Las Vegas for the season finale. What are you expecting from those rounds?
“I realised a childhood dream when I raced in Singapore last year so to be going there again is very special.
“I really like Singapore as a venue and it’s exciting to drive there. The humidity and heat challenges are well-documented but it’s a mentally taxing event as well as physically because the walls are so close and you can’t afford to make a mistake.
“As for Las Vegas, I’ve never been but I’ve heard lots of exciting things about the city and the circuit.
“It’s an event where so much is going on away from the track that it’s important not to get distracted and it’s also going to be emotional because it will be my last weekend in F1 ACADEMY.
“I’ll be trying to extract everything from every moment we have between now and then.”
There are so many young girls looking up to us, being empowered.
What are your plans after the F1 ACADEMY season concludes?
“You can never fully predict what you’ll be doing in a few years, but racing is my main focus; I’ve started my motorsport journey and I want it to continue.
“I have quite a few options for after F1 ACADEMY and I’m weighing them up. I want to be competing in a championship that has a clear route of progression up the motorsport ladder, so I’m not just set for 2026 but also the years after. I want to step up and drive faster cars, but it’s a bit too early to say which direction I’ll head in.
“Equally, one thing I know is that I want to go to university and do some other projects alongside my racing next year, so I’ll factor that into my decision. I’ve graduated from school with all the grades I wanted and I’m starting a gap year so I’ve got some time to think about what I want to do next and how it’s all going to fall into place.
“Lately, it’s really dawned on me how important female representation in motorsport is and that’s something I want to keep promoting. For me, it’s been normal to be a female racing driver but there are so many young girls looking up to us, being empowered, and I’ve realised how important what we are doing is for future generations.
“Earlier in the summer, I attended some of the European Women’s Championship football matches in Switzerland and was really inspired by the players. I realised it’s the same for the young girls who are watching us racing. That underlined to me how important it is what we’ve been doing in F1 ACADEMY, and what we need to keep doing in wider motorsport series.
“That’s another reason why I want to keep racing.”
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The University of Warwick is set to host the annual British Chess Championships next summer.
The event, in its 112th year, will be held in venues on the university’s campus in Coventry from 1 to 9 August.
More than 1,000 players from under-eights to seniors will take part in a range of age group competitions.
Paul Bartlett, director of Warwick Conferences, which will operate the venues, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming players from across the country to a campus that champions ambition, focus and community, qualities that align well with the game of chess.”
The championships were last held in the city in 2015, and since then the hosts, which has one of the largest and most successful university chess clubs in the UK, have won the British Universities’ Championship three times.
Mr Bartlett added that the university was proud to be hosting the event and said the campus combined “excellent transport links, modern event spaces, and a strong track record in delivering major events”.
Alex Holowczak, director of events for the English Chess Federation, said: “The event continues to grow in size and significance, and Warwick provides the facilities, experience and chess pedigree needed to support that growth.”
This year’s championships took place in Liverpool earlier this month, where Michael Adams, an English chess grandmaster, won the British Chess Champion title for the ninth time.
