Reigning Formula 1 champion Lando Norris passed drivers’ standings leader Kimi Antonelli and racing legend Lewis Hamilton on Lap 54 to take control of the Dutch Grand Prix and win by more than 11 seconds on Sunday in Zandvoort, Netherlands.
It was a fitting finale for the 72-lap Dutch Grand Prix, which vanished from the circuit’s calendar after 1985 and re-emerged in 2021 as fans clamored for it amid the popularity of local hero Max Verstappen. The race was the finale of the current incarnation, with organizers agreeing to make 2026 the last one for economic reasons.
Norris, in the pole position, had traveled just one lap before Verstappen lost control on the inside of the bank, possibly due to a partially damp track after precipitation before the race. Verstappen’s car crashed, slid across the track and lost a wheel, ending the driver’s day.
Verstappen said later he was not injured.
When the race resumed on the fifth lap following the red flag, and 30-minute delay, Antonelli made a rush toward Norris and managed to overtake him for the lead. Norris nibbled away on the lead and declined to pit for a tire change.
Mercedes’ George Russell finished third after he was instructed to give way to teammate Antonelli. Russell held off the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton (fourth) and Charles Leclerc (fifth).
On the season, the 19-year-old Antonelli has a 59-point lead in the drivers’ standings over both Russell and Hamilton heading into the next stop at his home race, the Italian Grand Prix, on Sept. 6.
–Field Level Media
