It wasn’t a fourth consecutive victory for Max Verstappen on home soil, but rather a maiden win in the Netherlands for Lando Norris. This was the outcome of the Dutch GP in Zandvoort on Sunday. Verstappen in his Red Bull simply couldn’t match the speed of Norris’s McLaren.
Initially, it seemed like a repeat of the previous three editions of the Dutch GP was on the cards: a race where Verstappen, cheered on by his always enthusiastic home crowd, secures a majestic victory. The Dutchman impressively overtook polesitter Norris from P2 at the start, leading into the first corner.
Norris Takes the Lead
As in previous races, Norris, starting from P1, couldn’t maintain his lead at the start, but even that didn’t dampen his spirits. Although Verstappen seemed to pull away for a while, by lap 18, the Dutchman’s hopes of victory were all but over. Norris, in his speedy McLaren, overtook his friend and rival. After the first pit stops, Verstappen found himself behind the Brit once again, effectively ending the race. Norris then built a comfortable lead.
Verstappen’s Struggle for Second Place
From then on, second place was the best Verstappen could hope for. At this point, he had to worry about the other McLaren driver’s progress. Although Oscar Piastri had a difficult first part of the race, with George Russell (Mercedes) staying ahead and the Ferraris even threatening the Australian, he initially made a comeback with strong lap times.
However, Piastri had his hands full with Charles Leclerc, who was surprisingly in third place. The Monegasque managed to steer his Ferrari to a commendable third place, behind Norris and Verstappen. Piastri and Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz – who started from P10 – completed the top 5. Following them, Sergio Pérez, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, and Fernando Alonso also left the Zandvoort dunes with points.
Norris Closes the Gap in the Championship
In the championship, Norris’s victory chipped away at Verstappen’s still substantial lead. Before the Dutch GP, the gap was 78 points, but heading into the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, it’s now 70 – thanks to the Brit setting the fastest lap in the final stages of the race.
