Joe
Zandvoort, Netherlands – Lando Norris clinched his second Formula 1 career victory with a commanding performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, outpacing Max Verstappen in front of the Red Bull driver’s home crowd.
After losing the lead into the first corner, Norris quickly recovered to overtake Verstappen and establish a significant lead. The McLaren driver crossed the finish line with a 22.9-second advantage and also secured the fastest lap, cutting Verstappen’s championship lead to 70 points.
“It feels amazing. Once again, I wouldn’t say it was a perfect race because of lap 1, but after that, it was beautiful,” Norris said. “The pace was very strong, the car was unbelievable, and I was able to push and pass Max.”
Norris faced pressure from Verstappen early on, having struggled to maintain pole positions in previous races. Although Verstappen initially gained ground, Norris remained just outside the DRS range and eventually closed the gap. His decisive move came on lap 18, where he surged past Verstappen with impressive momentum through Turn 14.
After overtaking Verstappen, Norris increased his lead steadily, demonstrating a dominant display of speed and control. Despite an earlier pit stop from Verstappen, Norris retained a comfortable advantage and continued to extend his lead.
Charles Leclerc finished third after successfully fending off Oscar Piastri and George Russell, thanks to a strategic pit stop and effective management of traffic. Piastri, who had opted for a longer stint on hard tires, finished fourth but was unable to challenge Leclerc.
Carlos Sainz recovered from a Q2 exit to secure fifth place, overtaking Sergio Perez despite strong resistance. Sainz moved up to fifth after Russell’s late pit stop, which ultimately did not yield the desired result.
Lewis Hamilton made a notable recovery to finish eighth, following a grid penalty and a Q2 exit. Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso completed the top ten, with Alonso relegating Nico Hulkenberg from the points.
