In a thrilling turn of events at the Dutch Grand Prix, McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered a spectacular performance, overtaking home favorite Max Verstappen to claim victory and hand the Dutch driver his first-ever loss in front of the passionate “Orange Army” crowd.
Norris, who had previously won in Miami, secured his second career Grand Prix win, significantly closing the gap to Verstappen in the World Championship standings. The British driver’s triumph reduces Verstappen’s lead to 70 points, with the Red Bull driver finishing in second place.
Despite the enthusiastic support from the packed Zandvoort circuit, Verstappen couldn’t keep pace with a McLaren that has shown remarkable improvement, making it a serious contender in Formula One. Norris, who also earned a point for the fastest lap, expressed his elation, saying, “It feels amazing… The pace was very strong and the car was unbelievable today.”
The race’s pivotal moment came at the start. Norris, who has struggled with his starts this season, was again slow off the line, allowing Verstappen to surge ahead. The Dutchman took an early lead, but Norris gradually chipped away at his advantage. By lap 17, Norris was closing in on Verstappen, who was struggling with grip issues.
Norris overtook Verstappen on lap 18, and despite a pit stop delay, he maintained his lead. On lap 25, Verstappen made a pit stop for fresh tires, but Norris emerged ahead and set the fastest lap of the race. By lap 40, Norris had built a commanding lead, eventually finishing 22.896 seconds ahead of Verstappen.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured third place after a fierce battle with Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez finished in sixth, narrowing the constructors’ championship gap from 42 to 30 points.
Norris reflected on his performance, saying, “I wouldn’t say a perfect race because of lap one again, but afterwards it was beautiful. I expected Max to start pushing, but he never did. My pace kept improving, and once I got past, I could just get comfortable.”
The F1 season continues with the next race at Monza, Italy, where Verstappen will look to regain his form. The Dutch driver, who hasn’t won since Barcelona in June, faces renewed pressure as the championship battle heats up.
