Lando Norris won his second Formula 1 race at the Dutch Grand Prix having been forced to serve a five-second penalty for causing a collision at the start ahead of the homeboy Max Verstappen. However, after the start and in the first turn, he could not maintain the lead but he was able to regain the position and ended the race with 22. s nine seconds ahead of the Dutchman. By winning the race along with the fastest lap, he managed to extend the gap to Verstappen to 70 points having been behind by 92 points.
Lando Norris’s Early Setback, Swift Recovery
From pole starting position Lando Norris was quickly put under pressure on how to keep his lead which he had lost in the previous races at Barcelona as well as Hungary circuits. Sadly, he lifted at the start and spun the wheels too much and Verstappen went past him by taking a very late break into the first corner. Within the pit-stop, Verstappen was able to get a 1. A five-second lead over the McLaren driver, who ruled out the possibility of a DRS Assaulter-type come-back.
However, Lando Norris remained undeterred. While Verstappen was struggling with the turn-in on the slower corners he simply stayed within the DRS zone but not risking to be right on the DRS activation range. After 15 laps of keeping his distance from him, the latter started reducing the distance and by the 17th lap, he pounced. While Verstappen’s defense on the first attempt was superb, he proved to be quick on rejoicing through the banked Turn 14, got past the Red Bull driver on the next lap, and re-took the lead.
Dominance on Display
As was the case when Lando Norris took the lead, he immediately began to open up a gap on Verstappen at a rate of more than half a second per lap. However, while Verstappen had to pit a lap earlier during both of their only pit stops, he did not let him get ahead anymore, and in true Verstappen style, disappeared into the distance, Norris stated that
It feels amazing, once again I wouldn’t say a perfect race because of lap 1 again, but after that it was beautiful,” Norris said. “The pace was very strong, the car was unbelievable and I could get comfortable, push, and pass Max.
The rest of the top five remained as follows; Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium after a close fight with fellow rookie Oscar Piastri. The Monaco driver passed Piastri and George Russell during the pit stops and successfully escaped from being stuck and created enough gaps. Piastri, who had gone longer into the race to gain a tire advantage, closed in on Leclerc but was unable to pass, settling for fourth.
Sainz, Hamilton, and the Midfield Battle
The best performer during the race was Carlos Sainz, who was eliminated in Q2 but scored a very good fifth place, making a series of good and clean overtakes, including that with Sergio Perez. Another driver who started from the Q2 elimination and a five-spot grid drop was Lewis Hamilton, who finished in the eighth position. Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso completed the top 10 finish list, with the latter overtaking Nico Hulkenberg out of the points.
The Dutch Grand Prix is a staple of Formula 1 racing, and Lando Norris establishes himself as one of the frontrunners of this high-octane race, giving fans a remarkable victory to lap up.
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