Commanding win for Norris breathes new life into F1 contest
MCLAREN'S Lando Norris ended Max Verstappen's unbeaten home record with a commanding Dutch Grand Prix victory and second win of his Formula One career to breathe new life into the championship yesterday.
Red Bull's triple world champion finished 22.896sec behind, after seizing the lead at the start but being passed on the 18th of 72 laps. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took the chequered flag in third after starting sixth. It was the first time since the race returned to the calendar in 2021 that Verstappen had not triumphed at Zandvoort and the once dominant driver's losing streak this season now extends to five races.
His lead over Norris was cut to 70 points after 15 of a record 24 rounds, McLaren also cutting Red Bull's increasingly vulnerable advantage in the constructers' championship to 30.
``It feels amazing. I wouldn't say a perfect race, because of lap one again, but afterwards it was beautiful. The pace was very strong, the car was unbelievable, Norris, who claimed his first win in Miami in May, said.
Norris had started on pole position for the fourth time in his career and yesterday’s race was the first time he had converted the advantage into victory. It looked at the start that he might have thrown it away once again, the 24yearold Briton making a sluggish start with wheelspin off the line as Verstappen pulled away smoothly to lead into turn one.
The upgraded McLaren clearly had the pace as well as the drag reduction advantage, however, and after one probing attempt on lap 17, Norris went past down the inside at the Tarzan turn one and pulled steadily away.
Norris also took a bonus point for fastest lap with a final flourish and was voted driver of the day by fans.
McLaren have now won three races this season, their biggest haul since 2012.
‘‘We had a good start and tried everything we could but it was clear we were not quick enough,' ' Verstappen said.
Leclerc spent 27 laps fending off Norris’ Australian teammate, Oscar Piastri, who had a long first stint and was passed at the start by Mercedes George Russell, Ferrari's welcome improvement taking him by surprise ahead of the team's home Italian race next weekend. Piastri was fourth, ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who started 11th, and Red Bull's Sergio Perez in sixth.
The Mercedes pair of Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh and eighth. Alpine's Pierre Gasly was ninth — and lapped — while Fernando Alonso took the final point for Aston Martin.