Welcome to the first episode of our new weekly tour of the international driver standings. In this series, we will travel in the coming weeks to Frankrijk, Duitsland, and Canada to look at the state of affairs in the sulky. It is important to note that in the southern hemisphere, specifically in Nieuw-Zeeland and Australië, the seasons have now concluded, meaning the focus is now entirely on the northern hemisphere.
In our own country, the battle for the title is currently hardly exciting, thanks to the dominance of Jaap van Rijn. With 34 victories, he has taken a massive lead over the rest of the field. His ability to coolly guide favorites to the finish line at tracks like Duindigt and Wolvega underlines his current form and tactical sharpness.
Michel Rothengatter follows at a respectful distance with 18 wins, while Dion Tesselaar completes the top three with 16 victories. The gap is substantial and the pursuers will need to try a different approach to knock Van Rijn off his throne. Especially with the autumn classics on the horizon, the pressure is high on the chasing drivers to turn the tide.
The highlight of the season, the Derby der Nederlanden on September 20, is fast approaching. On the grass track of Duindigt, the best three-year-olds will compete for the blue ribbon, and Van Rijn’s form will undoubtedly determine the race dynamics there. The question is whether the competition is able to break his tactical superiority in the coming weeks and bring the excitement back to the championship.
