Lando Norris brought new life to the Formula One championship by securing a dominant victory at the Dutch Grand Prix. This win marks the second of his career, but more importantly, it ended Max Verstappen’s unbeaten home record at Zandvoort.
Starting from pole position, Lando Norris expertly managed the race despite a shaky start. Verstappen took the early lead, but the McLaren had both the pace and advantage to fight back. On the 18th lap, Norris overtook Verstappen, pulling away steadily and crossing the finish line 22.896 seconds ahead. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third place.
For the first time since the race returned to the calendar in 2021, Verstappen didn’t win at Zandvoort. This defeat extended his losing streak to five races this season. As a result, Lando Norris reduced Verstappen’s lead in the championship to 70 points after 15 of the 24 scheduled races. McLaren also narrowed Red Bull’s lead in the constructors’ championship to just 30 points.
Lando Norris, elated after the race, said, “It feels amazing. Not a perfect race because of lap one, but it was still beautiful. The car was unbelievable, and I could push and get past Max. It was tough, but enjoyable.”
The victory was even sweeter for Norris as he converted his pole position into a win for the first time in his career. Despite a slow start that saw Verstappen lead decisively into turn one, Norris’ McLaren showed its strength. After an attempt on lap 17, Norris finally passed Verstappen on the inside at turn one and maintained his lead.
Lando Norris also earned a bonus point for setting the fastest lap and was voted Driver of the Day by fans.
However, Verstappen acknowledged, “You always hope for better results. We had a strong start and gave it our all, but it was clear we just didn’t have the speed.”
Norris’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, finished fourth, just ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez took sixth place. Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton came in seventh and eighth, respectively. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly finished ninth, with Fernando Alonso taking the final point for Aston Martin in tenth.
This win by Norris has definitely shaken up the championship, making the upcoming races even more exciting to watch.
