Lando Norris kept his Formula One title hopes alive with a second consecutive victory by winning the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli extended his championship lead to 59 points.
Norris crossed the finish line 11.5 seconds ahead of Antonelli at Zandvoort, securing McLaren’s third straight Dutch GP victory after a race that was red-flagged and restarted following Max Verstappen’s opening-lap crash.
The result moved Antonelli to 242 points after 12 rounds, with Mercedes teammate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton tied on 183 points. Norris sits fourth overall on 159 points, 83 behind the championship leader.
Russell finished third after Mercedes instructed him to let Antonelli through late in the race as the Italian had fresher tyres. Russell then held off Hamilton, who finished fourth, while Charles Leclerc took fifth ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Norris started from pole but lost the lead to Antonelli following the restart. The reigning world champion eventually regained the advantage with 18 laps remaining after making his pit stop later than Antonelli and benefiting from fresher tyres.
“I probably had one chance to make it happen and I made the most of it,” Norris said.
Hamilton had briefly inherited the lead while waiting to make his final pit stop but eventually pitted under a virtual safety car triggered by Esteban Ocon’s stopped Haas.
Antonelli also took the opportunity to change tyres and returned to the track 12 seconds behind Norris. The Italian was unable to close the gap, allowing Norris to secure his second win in succession after his victory in Hungary last month.
“I made it tough for myself today but a good race. Well fought. Probably one of my better wins. We had to fight for it,” Norris said.
Antonelli’s second-place finish further strengthens his position at the top of the championship, while Norris remains confident he can close the gap as the season progresses.
“Let’s keep bringing upgrades. Let’s keep bringing performance. The fight is still on. Let’s keep going,” Norris said.
The Dutch GP also marked the final Formula One race at Zandvoort for the foreseeable future, bringing an end to the circuit’s return to the calendar after 36 years away. Every Dutch GP since its 2021 comeback had been won from pole position.
Reuters
