The Formula 1 World Championship is back on track following the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort.

It's the twelfth round of the championship and marks the start of the second part of the season, which looks like being intense and unpredictable. As the action resumes, Scuderia Ferrari HP is currently second in the Constructors' World Championship, with Lewis Hamilton second and Charles Leclerc fourth in the Drivers' standings, with one win apiece.

Zandvoort therefore provides the first test after a few weeks off. The 4.259 kilometre Dutch track is set amongst the dunes on the North Sea coast and features a sequence of high speed corners, with changes of direction and banked sections that make it unique on the calendar. The fact the track is narrow and twisty means overtaking is no easy task, which makes qualifying well a priority. The gravel immediately beyond the track limits is unforgiving, while wind and changeable weather can add further variables over the course of the weekend.

Fred Vasseur: Zandvoort marks the start of the second part of the season and our approach remains the same: taking it one race at a time and focusing on ourselves. We have recharged our batteries and we are ready for what we expect to be a very closely contested competition. As usual with the Sprint format, we will have just one practice session before sprint qualifying, which makes preparation and getting everything right from the very first laps even more important. Zandvoort is a demanding track for both the drivers and the cars, and our objective is simply to put ourselves in the best possible position and maximise the opportunities that come our way.

Ferrari at the Dutch Grand Prix

34 GP contested
1952 Debut (A. Ascari 1st; G. Farina 2nd; L. Villoresi 3rd; C. de Tornaco ret.)
8 (23.53%) Wins
7 (20.59%) Pole Positions
10 (29.41%) Fastest Laps
26 (25.49%) Podiums

Three questions to Bari Broumand, Ferrari eSports driver.

You know Zandvoort particularly well and have also won there in the virtual world. What makes this circuit so challenging and enjoyable?
Bari Broumand: Zandvoort is one of my strongest and favourite tracks because it offers a mix of slow-speed and high-speed corners, and there is virtually no margin for error. If you make a mistake, you are unlikely to get away with it. That is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. It is extremely challenging, but also very rewarding when you put a lap together. What I particularly enjoy is the flow of the track. Through turns 2 and 3, you need to carry momentum and get into a rhythm. After a brief pause, you enter the middle sector, where turns 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 require you to maintain that flow continuously. Some corners are also very narrow, so hitting the perfect line is crucial. All these elements make the circuit incredibly enjoyable to drive. Racing can be quite difficult here, but in terms of one-lap qualifying pace, it is one of the most enjoyable tracks in the Formula 1 calendar.

In a Sprint weekend preparation is key and it's probably similar to you: what does preparation for an Esports race weekend look like? How much work goes on before you actually start competing?
BB: On a Sprint weekend, preparation becomes even more important. At Zandvoort, balance and setup are critical, and if you do not get them right from the start, you can struggle throughout the entire weekend. With only one practice session available, it is essential to find the right balance and setup immediately. Then, through Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint race, if something is not quite right, you can continue making adjustments and be even better prepared for the main qualifying session.

You represent Ferrari at the highest level of Esports competition. What does it mean to you to race wearing the Prancing Horse colours, and does that bring an extra sense of responsibility when you compete?
BB: Representing Ferrari is a feeling that is difficult to compare with anything else. Every racing driver dreams of racing for the Prancing Horse team when they are growing up. Regardless of where you are in your career, it is always something you aspire to. It is one of the greatest privileges in motorsport and I'm proud to represent this brand in the Esports world. There is naturally some pressure that comes with representing Ferrari because you know you have to perform. However, I believe that is also what makes it so special. I'm enjoying every moment of it. You have to embrace the pressure and gain from it.

Facts and Figures

5. The 'G' forces of lateral acceleration that drivers are subjected to on the most demanding sections of the Zandvoort circuit. The final corner (Arie Luyendykbocht) and Turn 3 (Hugenholtzbocht), for example, are more steeply banked than the turns at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

15. The number of Grands Prix won by Niki Lauda at the wheel of a Ferrari. His last one came at Zandvoort in 1977, the year in which he was crowned World Champion for the second time.

21. The years since Lewis Hamilton claimed his first international single-seater win at Zandvoort in 2005, in the the Formula 3 Masters. Racing with the ASM team, Hamilton celebrated the success alongside Frédéric Vasseur, who was team principal at the time.

65. The huge concrete pillars supporting the Oosterscheldekering, the movable storm surge barrier regarded as one of the greatest masterpieces of modern hydraulic engineering. Nine kilometres long, it protects part of the Netherlands that lies below sea level and has been dubbed by many the 'eighth wonder of the world'.

1568. The year to which the tune of Wilhelmus, the Dutch national anthem, can be traced. Its origins coincide with the beginning of the Eighty Years' War, fought for independence from Spain. The lyrics are documented from 1572 onwards, and the anthem, officially adopted in 1932, is generally considered the oldest national anthem still in use in the world today.