Minardi: The decisive part of the season is ahead.

      In a column on his official website, former team owner Giancarlo Minardi commented on the results of the Dutch Grand Prix...

      Giancarlo Minardi: "The Dutch Grand Prix started with an unexpected crash from Max Verstappen, depriving the race of one of its brightest participants, especially in front of his home crowd. It seemed quite strange to see a driver of such caliber make such a mistake; there is a suspicion that the collision at the start could have had some consequences. Max's retirement inevitably changed the course of the race, both due to the absence of one of the potential leaders and the red flags that affected the teams' strategies.

      Lando Norris achieved a well-deserved victory, confirming the good results shown by McLaren before the summer break. After the success in Hungary, the Woking team took another step forward; now Mercedes needs serious updates to counter the progress of the English team. Some new features will appear on the Mercedes in Monza – it will be interesting to see how effective they turn out to be.

      Andrea Kimi Antonelli had an excellent race, finishing in a crucial second place in terms of the title fight. He achieved the best possible result on a day when Norris had the advantage, finishing ahead of his closest rivals – George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

      Once again, we were reminded of how fragile the balance of power in Formula 1 is. Position changes can happen very quickly. Even in qualifying, the difference in results was minimal, so it is important to execute the weekend perfectly to achieve the desired outcome.

      From a strategic standpoint, Mercedes did everything right. By the end of the race, Antonelli had fresher tires than Russell, and the decision to let him go ahead was the right one. After that, the battle between Russell and Hamilton for third place became another interesting moment.

      Ahead lies the decisive part of the season. The competition will be fierce until the very end, not only in terms of speed but also technically and strategically. Key will be the updates that teams can prepare and the management of power unit components, considering possible penalties. It is already known that Antonelli will have to serve such a penalty in Monza.

      We have reached the point where teams inevitably start to think about internal hierarchy, especially when the championship is at stake. Every point can be crucial, and it will be interesting to see what decisions teams make in the upcoming races.

      At McLaren, Oscar Piastri is going through a more challenging period than Norris. Even in Zandvoort, they followed different strategies, but now it is Lando who is better able to unlock the car's potential.

      Fernando Alonso deserves applause for once again maximizing his opportunities, earning two important points for Aston Martin.

      We say goodbye to Zandvoort and prepare for Monza. Mercedes is expected to present some new features, McLaren will arrive in great shape, and Ferrari will be competing in front of their home crowd. For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, this is his first home Grand Prix as the championship leader. All the ingredients for an interesting weekend are in place!"