Norris Claims Dominant Victory at Dutch Grand Prix
McLaren’s Lando Norris fought back to secure a commanding win at the Dutch Grand Prix, overcoming an early challenge from Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Norris has struggled with starts and first laps in recent races, and this time was no different as he was passed almost immediately due to excessive wheel spin from the line.
However, the pace of his McLaren was evident as he regained the lead from Verstappen on lap 18, before the pit stops, and effortlessly pulled away from the pack.
Charles Leclerc clinched the final podium spot, surprising himself with his performance as he successfully defended against McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for the final 27 laps.
Even while leading, Verstappen seemed aware of the race’s direction. The Dutch driver, who has dominated this event since its return in 2021, complained about a lack of grip early on.
When Norris caught up to him, Verstappen’s defense was less aggressive than usual, allowing Norris to take the lead inside at the first corner, Tarzan.
Once in front, Norris extended his lead to about half a second per lap, and there was nothing Verstappen could do to stop losing his home race for the first time since its return after a 36-year hiatus.
Norris was in full control, finishing 22.8 seconds ahead of Verstappen for one of the most dominant victories of the season.
He capped off his performance by setting the fastest lap on the final circuit, besting Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes by just 0.067 seconds.
“Simply lovely,” Norris quipped over the radio, echoing Verstappen’s words from his many victories over the past two years.
“It feels amazing,” Norris continued. “I wouldn’t call it a perfect race because of lap one again, but it was beautiful. The car was really strong, allowing me to push past Max and go from there. It was tough but enjoyable.”
Verstappen acknowledged, “We had a good start and tried everything, but it was clear throughout the race that we weren’t quick enough, so I aimed to secure second place.” He added, “I was confident in another good start, but that was my race.”
Norris’ victory marks his first win since his maiden triumph in Miami back in May, following the introduction of McLaren’s first car upgrade since that race. This win will come as a welcome relief for both driver and team, who have faced criticism for missed opportunities.
The outcome reduces Verstappen’s championship lead to 70 points with nine races remaining—a significant lead but one that Norris, in this form, might just have a chance to challenge.
In the constructors’ standings, McLaren is now just 31 points behind Red Bull, vying for their first teams’ title in 26 years.
Concerns Over Norris’ Start? Not This Time!
When Norris lost the lead off the line, it echoed previous races in Spain, Hungary, and Belgium, where his chances of victory were compromised by being overtaken during the first lap due to a slow start or errors.
This time, however, there was no cause for alarm. Norris managed to stay close to Verstappen in the early laps despite the challenging conditions at Zandvoort, showcasing a comfortable pace advantage.
As Verstappen’s tires began to lose grip after about 15 laps—expressing his frustration with numb tires—Norris pounced.
McLaren’s confidence in Norris was clear from the pit wall. Norris’ engineer, Will Joseph, mentioned that Verstappen might attempt to undercut him—stopping earlier for fresh tires—but they remained unfazed.
Ultimately, they had no reason to worry. By the time Verstappen pitted for fresh tires on lap 27, Norris held a lead of over five seconds. McLaren promptly executed their own pit stop, allowing Norris to maintain control of the race from the front.
Ferrari Surprises Themselves
As the latter part of the race unfolded, Verstappen found himself focusing on the challenge from behind as fellow McLaren driver Piastri hinted at a possible one-two finish.
Piastri experienced a rocky start, dropping from third to fourth, and spent the first stint trailing George Russell’s Mercedes.
McLaren opted for a long first stint for Piastri to give him an advantage in tire life for the second half of the race.
He came out in fifth place and quickly gained two spots with an early pit stop after tracking Russell and Verstappen, passing Red Bull’s Sergio Perez in the process.
Initially, Piastri demonstrated the pace to potentially catch Verstappen. He managed to pass Russell but then became stuck behind Leclerc’s Ferrari, halting his progress as Leclerc secured a podium finish that seemed improbable before the race.
“I’m very surprised,” Leclerc admitted. “It’s rare for me to feel happy about a P3, but given today’s race, we can be extremely pleased with what we achieved on a challenging weekend.”
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari showed strong form, moving up from 11th on the grid after a difficult weekend due to a gearbox failure prior to qualifying. He caught and passed Perez for fifth place.
Russell, who had initially been ahead of both drivers, fell back to seventh after a second pit stop for soft tires with 16 laps remaining, leaving him trailing Sainz and Perez but still ahead of teammate Hamilton, who started 14th after qualifying 12th and receiving a penalty for impeding Perez.
The final points were scooped up by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who capitalized on a brilliant start that pushed him from 10th to seventh, and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
What do you think about Norris’ performance and chances for the rest of the season?
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