The Top 6 Are Closer Than You Think... | 2026 Dutch GP Preview

It could be the last-ever Dutch Grand Prix, and Max Verstappen's final home race. Tom & Chris preview a potentially wet, sprint-format Zandvoort, plus Cadillac's shock team-boss change and a top 6 separated by just nine points over the last 4 Grand Prix. In this episode: why Cadillac swapped Graeme Lowdon for Marcin Budkowski mid-season, whether McLaren's Hungary upgrade travels, the incredibly tight top-six title fight of recent races, Aston Martin & Honda's new engine, silly-season latest, our sprint-weekend predictions, and a mailbag on sim racing and ghost cars. Chapters 0:00 – Intro: first race back 1:46 – Cadillac's shock team-boss change 13:24 – Dutch GP preview: Zandvoort's farewell 17:01 – McLaren, Ferrari & a title race in nine points 21:45 – Aston Martin & Honda's engine gamble 23:38 – Silly season & Max's last home race 25:35 – Predictions 30:28 – Mailbag: sim racing, ghost cars & deltas 39:46 – Wrap-up 🔮 Play our free Prediction League: closes at sprint qualifying, 3:30pm Fri UK: backofthegrid.com 🏆 Fantasy F1 & IndyCar (Grid Rival + official F1 Fantasy): backofthegrid.com/fantasy ⭐ Support us on Patreon — includes our community Discord: Patreon.com/Backofthegrid 📱 @BackOfTheGridF1 on X, Instagram & Facebook Back of the Grid is a weekly F1 podcast by fans, for fans, with Tom & Chris. New episodes every Tuesday. #F1 #DutchGP #Verstappen