Everything we learned from day one at F1's Dutch GP

Max Verstappen has extended his contract with Red Bull Racing until 2030, signaling his commitment to the team despite previous rumors of a departure. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso remains undecided about his future in Formula 1 following the summer break.
Why it matters
Verstappen's long-term commitment stabilizes the F1 driver market and secures the sport's top talent for the next several years.
Formula 1 Everything we learned from day one at F1's Dutch GP The Race Team 20 Aug 2026 — 9 min read F1 is back from the summer break with a bang.
Today was the first chance to hear from drivers who made big statements like Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, ones who haven't, like Fernando Alonso, new team bosses and teams which needed to use the summer break to capitalise and improve.
Luckily, our team on the ground in Zandvoort and back at base were on hand to sift through Thursday's media day to bring you the most important nuggets.
Max Verstappen extending his stay at Red Bull until the end of 2030 was the biggest news from Thursday at Zandvoort.
It’s a big win for Red Bull and evidence that Verstappen really does want to end his F1 career with the team.
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