Norris secures victory at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen crashes out at home turf

McLaren’s Lando Norris has secured two consecutive Formula 1 victories by winning the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, finishing 11.536 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. George Russell completed the podium, giving Mercedes a double podium finish in the final Dutch GP at the circuit for the foreseeable future.

A race to forget for Max Verstappen?

The race began with Norris starting from pole, but the opening lap was quickly interrupted by a red flag after Max Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull on the drying circuit and crashed out of his home race. At the restart, Antonelli moved ahead of Norris and initially controlled the race. However, the McLaren driver remained patient and eventually reclaimed the lead on Lap 52. Norris first overtook Antonelli around the outside at Turn 1 before passing Lewis Hamilton later on the same lap.

A late Virtual Safety Car period, triggered when Esteban Ocon stopped on track, created a strategic split. Antonelli and several other drivers pitted for fresh tyres, while Norris and Russell stayed out. Russell subsequently allowed Antonelli through on Lap 65, but Norris had already established a comfortable advantage. Norris ultimately crossed the finish line 11.536 seconds ahead of Antonelli to claim his second consecutive victory. He described it as one of his strongest wins, praising McLaren’s pace and race management while expressing satisfaction at winning the final F1 race at Zandvoort.

2026 Dutch Grand Prix: Fourth to Tenth

Russell secured third place after successfully defending his position from Hamilton. The Mercedes driver said he was pleased with the weekend overall, which included a Sprint victory. Charles Leclerc finished fifth for Ferrari, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Liam Lawson, standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar at Red Bull Racing, took seventh despite receiving a 10-second penalty for a yellow-flag infringement. Nico Hulkenberg finished eighth to score valuable points for Audi, while Fernando Alonso took ninth for Aston Martin. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly completed the top 10.

The result strengthened Antonelli’s position at the top of the championship standings. He now leads Russell by 59 points, while Russell is level on points with Hamilton. Norris’ consecutive victories have lifted him to fourth, 24 points behind the Mercedes duo. Formula 1 now moves to Italy for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, scheduled for September 4 to 6.

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