Norris wins final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort after Verstappen crashes out on opening lap

Lando Norris won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on Sunday, securing his second consecutive Formula One victory after claiming pole position the day before. The McLaren driver finished 11.536 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, who extended his championship lead, while Antonelli’s teammate George Russell took third. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc followed in fourth and fifth, respectively.
The race began with drama as home favorite Max Verstappen crashed on the opening lap at the final corner, ending his participation early. The Red Bull driver emerged unharmed but admitted he may have accelerated too soon on a drying track. “I saw a dry line, maybe I went too early on the gas,” Verstappen said .
Norris, who started from pole with a lap of 1 minute 11.163 seconds, initially lost the lead to Antonelli after the restart but reclaimed it with a bold overtake on lap 54. He then passed Hamilton to secure the win, holding on despite older tires. “This fight is still on,” Norris said over team radio, urging McLaren to continue bringing upgrades .
The race marked the final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, with organizers confirming the event would not return. The circuit had hosted Formula One races intermittently since 1952, with its most recent revival in 2021 driven by Verstappen’s success. Dutch royalty, including King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, attended the event, which drew over 100,000 fans .
Mercedes secured a double podium with Antonelli and Russell, though team orders sparked tension. Russell, who won Saturday’s Sprint race, was instructed to let Antonelli pass to preserve the Italian’s championship lead. “Is he fighting for the win or is he planning to catch Norris?” Russell questioned over the radio before complying .
Norris’ victory followed his Hungarian Grand Prix win before the summer break, giving McLaren back-to-back wins. Antonelli now leads the championship by 59 points over Russell and Hamilton, who are tied for second. Norris sits fourth, overtaking Leclerc in the standings .
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