Lando Norris boosts title defence hopes with Dutch Grand Prix victory

By Scott Hunt, Press Association F1 Reporter, Zandvoort

Lando Norris breathed further life into his title defence with a brilliant Dutch Grand Prix victory as Max Verstappen’s final home race ended with him walking away from a huge opening-lap crash.

The world champion made it back-to-back wins with a brilliant drive allowing him to execute a superb McLaren strategy to reel in title leader Kimi Antonelli.

Norris, whose victory last time out in Budapest was the first of a difficult title defence, admitted he has not lost hope of retaining his crown despite a hefty deficit – this win in Zandvoort still leaving him 83 points adrift.

But the manner of his win will raise belief, Norris outgunning Mercedes duo Antonelli and George Russell in qualifying and the race in his upgraded McLaren.

Russell boosted his title hopes by clinching sprint race victory on Saturday but he was asked to allow his team-mate and championship rival Antonelli through in the closing stages.

That allowed Antonelli to claim second while Russell then had to fend off Lewis Hamilton to secure third – with the British pair now level and 59 points adrift of Antonelli.

Verstappen’s high-speed crash on lap one brought desperate disappointment to his adoring home fans at Zandvoort.

The four-time world champion is not in race-winning contention this season but the huge crowds are almost exclusively here for him, his name chanted at every opportunity.

Seeing him step out of the wreckage of his Red Bull, which careered into the barriers at turn one, was not the ending they hoped to see in the final race at the circuit he helped return to the Formula One calendar.

Charles Leclerc was fifth for Ferrari ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

The previous five races at Zandvoort have been won from pole position, claimed by Norris after a brilliant qualifying display on Saturday.

Heavy rain swept in 45 minutes before lights out in the seaside town but the track was dry enough at lights out for the entire field to start on slick tyres.

Norris started well but Russell got an awful getaway from second, sliding out of his grid box, which allowed Antonelli to breeze past.

Verstappen was engaged in an elbows-out tussle with team-mate for the weekend Liam Lawson during the opening exchanges but, having won that duel, his race soon came to a shuddering halt.

The four-time world champion, revered in these parts, appeared to dip a wheel onto the kerb on the inside of the 18-degree banked final bend before sliding across the track and thundering into the barriers.

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His Red Bull wreckage bounced back across the track ahead of Pierre Gasly and Arvid Lindblad, while hie left-rear tyre flew off and went trundling away.

Verstappen confirmed he was ok as the race was red-flagged, before saying: “Yeah that’s it. Ah, I’m sorry guys.”

Almost simultaneously, Gabriel Bortoleto spun, his tyres throwing up a cloud of smoke through which team-mate Nico Hulkenberg drove – narrowly avoiding a huge collision.

A delay of 30 minutes followed before Antonelli and Norris went wheel-to-wheel at turn one, Antonelli forcing his way past the reigning world champion.

Russell was then caught out by a brave move from McLaren’s Piastri as the Australian dived up the inside to claim third.

Ferrari were engaged in a tense radio battle as Hamilton urged them to let him past Leclerc, with the team telling the Monegasque to pit.

He was unhappy with that plan, ultimately pitting a lap later. “Great way of wasting time guys, good job,” Hamilton sarcastically said.

Norris made his final stop seven laps later than Antonelli in a bid to reel in the leader and it was a perfect strategy call as he charged after the Italian, ultimately blasting past round the outside of turn one on lap 54.

“I made it tough for myself today but a good race,” said Norris. “Well fought. Probably one of my better wins. We had to fight for it.

“The pace was very strong and I managed things incredibly well today. Over the moon, very happy and nice to win the final race here in Zandvoort.”

Antonelli, Hamilton and Leclerc all then chose to pit under the virtual safety car, lifting Russell to second but with those behind on fresher rubber.

He was soon a man under fire, with Antonelli the first on his gearbox and Mercedes were quick to intervene, asking Russell to make way for his championship rival.

Russell cordially obliged, albeit with some protest, as he knew he was then at risk from Hamilton. But Russell held firm – crucially for his title hopes.

For Antonelli, he walks away having extended his championship lead but Norris has moved up to fourth and is putting himself back in the title conversation.