After its customary summer break, Formula 1 returns this weekend for the second half of the 2025 season.
First up is the Dutch Grand Prix, as home hero Max Verstappen looks to equal Jim Clark’s record with a fourth win in the Netherlands.
Most eyes will be on the McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, the two drivers separated by just nine points at the top of the Drivers’ Championship.
| Position | Drivers' Championship | Points |
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | 284 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | 275 |
If their social media is anything to go by, both men have opted for slightly different summer breaks, as have many of the other stars on the grid.
Holidays, exercise, and basketball with Giannis Antetokounmpo – F1 drivers on their summer break
Beginning with the Papaya pair, Piastri has been recharging on holiday with his girlfriend, Lily Zneimer, during the hiatus.
By contrast, per Norris’ Instagram, he has been swapping sports with basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Most other drivers have followed the Piastri route, with the likes of Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon all enjoying time away with their family, friends, and loved ones.
Charles Leclerc made a similar decision with his time off as well.
However, the Monegasque’s Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton has seemingly been hard at work in the gym as he attempts to turn around a difficult first season with the Scuderia.
The subplots going into the second half of the Formula 1 season
Naturally, the tussle for the title between the two McLaren drivers is set to dominate the final ten races of the campaign.
Beyond that, numerous other subplots will rumble on in the background.
The most prominent of these will be Hamilton’s issues at Ferrari, with the seven-time World Champion increasingly pessimistic in the media in the races leading up to the break.
George Russell’s contract situation at Mercedes also remains unresolved, although confirmation that Verstappen will stay with Red Bull for 2026 should ensure the Briton signs a well-deserved extension.
Elsewhere, Yuki Tsunoda is fighting to keep his seat alongside Verstappen, having scored just four points in 12 races, and none since the seventh round at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May.
More widely, as well as Tsunoda’s, eight seats for the 2026 grid remain up for grabs, including two new ones with Cadillac.
Finally, most Formula 1 fans will be hoping to see 44-year-old Fernando Alonso back on the podium once again, while Sauber will look to continue the great strides they have made with Nico Hulkenberg and promising rookie Gabriel Bortoleto in their last ten races before changing to Audi.