Norris wins Dutch Grand Prix, Piastri fourth as speedy McLarens dominate

Lando Norris has won the Dutch Formula 1 Grand Prix, effortlessly cruising to victory in a race that saw his McLaren and that of Australian Oscar Piastri outpace the field.

Piastri finished fourth after briefly leading the race before pitting and relinquishing control to Norris.

The McLaren of Oscar Piastri during the Dutch Grand Prix at the Zandvoort racetrack in the Netherlands on Sunday.Credit: AP

There was little defending champion and local hope Max Verstappen, who finished second for Red Bull, could do to counter the speed of the McLarens.

Only a stubborn drive from Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc – who frustrated Piastri lap after lap and stopped the Australian moving into third place – prevented Verstappen from being sandwiched between the two faster McLarens.

Norris finished 22.8 seconds ahead of championship leader Verstappen, ending the triple world champion’s unbeaten home record.

It was the first time since the race returned to the calendar in 2021 that Verstappen had not triumphed at Zandvoort. The loss also extended his losing streak this season to five races.

Verstappen’s lead over Norris in the drivers’ championship was cut to 70 points after 15 of a record 24 rounds, with McLaren also cutting Red Bull’s increasingly vulnerable advantage in the constructors’ championship to 30.

“It feels amazing. I wouldn’t say a perfect race because of lap one again, but it was still beautiful,” said Norris, who took his first win in Miami in May.

“The pace was strong, the car was unbelievable. I could push and get past Max. It was a straightforward race. Tough but enjoyable.”

Norris had started on pole position for the fourth time in his career and Sunday’s race on the breezy Dutch coast, in front of his rival’s orange army of fans, was the first time he had converted the advantage into victory.

It looked at the start that he might have thrown it away, the 24-year-old Briton making a sluggish start off the line as Verstappen hit the throttle and led decisively into turn one.

However, the McLaren clearly had the pace as well as the drag reduction (DRS) advantage. After one probing attempt on lap 17, Norris went past down the inside at turn one and pulled steadily away.

Norris also took a bonus point for fastest lap.

“You always hope to do better,” said Verstappen. “We had a good start and tried everything we could but it was clear we were not quick enough.”

Piastri – unable to get by Leclerc in the dying laps – secured fourth, ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez sixth. The Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh and eighth with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly ninth – and lapped. Fernando Alonso took the final point for Aston Martin.

Reuters

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