Lando Norris from McLaren delivered a stunning performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, ending Max Verstappen’s unbeaten home streak and securing his second career win in Formula One, bringing new excitement to the championship.
Verstappen, the reigning triple world champion with Red Bull, initially took the lead but ultimately finished 22.896 seconds behind Norris after being overtaken on the 18th lap of the 72-lap race. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third place.
This marks the first time Verstappen has not won at Zandvoort since the event resumed in 2021, extending his current losing streak to five races. Following this race, Norris has reduced Verstappen’s championship lead to 70 points after 15 of the record 24 races, while McLaren has narrowed the gap to Red Bull in the constructors’ standings to 30 points.
“It feels amazing. I wouldn’t say it was a perfect race because of lap one again, but it was still beautiful. The pace was strong, and the car was unbelievable,” Norris stated, reflecting on his win, following his first victory in Miami earlier this year. “I could push and get past Max. It was a straightforward race. Tough but enjoyable.”
Norris started from pole position for the fourth time in his career, finally converting this advantage into a victory, despite a slow start that allowed Verstappen to surge ahead into turn one. However, Norris quickly showcased his pace and regained control by overtaking Verstappen on lap 17, pulling away comfortably after that.
Norris also earned an extra point for setting the fastest lap and was voted Driver of the Day by fans.
Verstappen acknowledged the challenges he faced, saying, “You always hope to do better. We had a good start and tried everything we could, but it was clear we were not quick enough.”
In the race results, Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri finished fourth, followed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in fifth and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in sixth. The Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took seventh and eighth places, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly finishing ninth after being lapped, and Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin claimed the final point.