Race Notes - Norris wins Dutch GP

By Mark Karp

Lando Norris in the McLaren-Mercedes won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, beating Max Verstappen in the Red Bull-Honda by 22.896 seconds.

Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari took third place, 25.439s behind the winner.

The win was Norris’ second career victory, and the first win at Zandovoort for McLaren since Niki Lauda final career win in 1985. It is Norris’ 22nd podium finish. Norris is now the third driver this season to win multiple wins after Verstappen and Hamilton.

The race was Verstappen’s 200 Grand Prix start.

Oscar Piastri (27.337s) in the second McLaren finished fourth, followed by Carlos Sainz (32.137s) in the second Ferrari was fifth, Sergio Perez (39.542s) in the second Red Bull was sixth, George Russell (44.617s) in the Mercedes GP was seventh, his team mate Lewis Hamilton, after starting 14th, finished eighth, Pierre Gasly (1 lap) in the Alpine-Renault was ninth, and Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin-Mercedes took the final point in tenth.

Norris starts from his fourth career pole position with Verstappen alongside on the front row, Piastri and Russell are on row 2, Perez and Leclec on row 3, Alonso and Stroll on row 4, and Gasly and Sainz rounding out the top ten.

Hamilton will have a three-grid penalty for getting in the way of Perez during qualifying. Albon will start from the back because his floor was too wide after qualifying. Magnussen changed his his engine overnight and will start from the back of the grid, the top ten all on the medium tyre.

At the appointed time the field came around on the formation lap, the lights went off and the race began with Norris getting a slow start and Verstappen taking the lead into the first corner, Norris, Russell, Piastri, Leclerc, Perez, Gasly, Alonso, Sainz, and Stroll in tenth. Hamilton 13th. Magnussen goes wide but continues.

On lap 2 Hamilton passes Tsunoda for 12th.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1:16106s.

On lap 4 Norris trails Verstappen by 1.2 seconds.

On lap 9 Sainz passes Alonso for eighth place.

On lap 11 Sainz passing Gasly for seventh place.

On lap 13 Albon pits for hard tyres.

Hamilton passes Stroll for tenth.

Norris is within DRS of Verstappen.

At lap 15 Verstappen leads Norris by 0.9 seconds, followed by Russell (4.8s), Piastri (6.2s), Leclerc (6.9s), Perez (8.7s), Sainz (12.4s), Gasly (16.3s), Hamilton (18.3s), and Alonso (20.2s) in tenth.

Albon in 19th sets fast lap at 1m15.520s.

Verstappen complains that his tyres have no grip.

On lap 18 Norris passes Verstappen for the lead.

Norris complains that his brakes feel they are going long.

On lap 23 Hamilton is battling with Gasly.

Hamilton pits for hard tyres and rejoins 16th.

On lap 25 Leclerc pits from fifth for hard tyres and rejoins ninth behind Alonso.

Russell pits for hard tyres and rejoins ninth.

Russell passes Alonso for eighth.

Hamilton passes Ocon for 14th.

On lap 28 Verstappen pits for hard tyres and rejoins fifth.

Russell sets fast lap at 1m14.532s.

On lap 29 Norris pits for hard tyres and rejoins fourth ahead of Verstappen. Piastri leads over Perez.

Hamilton passes Hulkenberg for 13th.

Perez pits for hard tyres and rejoins ninth.

Hamilton passes Magnussen for 11th.

Russell passes Gaslt for seventh.

Sainz pits for hard tyres and rejoins ninth.

Stroll pits for hard tyres.

On lap 32 Norris set fast lap at 1m14.391s.

Hamilton passes Alonso for ninth, Alonso immediately pits.

Gasly pits for hard tyres and rejoins 12th. Tsunoda pits for hard tyres.

On lap 34 leader Piastri pits for hard tyres and rejoins fifth, Norris is back in the lead ahead of Verstappen by 7.4 seconds.

At lap 35 Norris leads Verstappen by 7.6 seconds, followed by Leclerc (12.9s), Russell (17.2s), Piastri (21.1s), Perez (24.4s), Sainz (26.6s), Hamilton (30.6s), Hulkenberg (41.9s), and Magnussen (46.4s) in tenth.

On lap 36 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m14.237s.

Stroll is given a 5-second penalty for speeding in the pits.

Piastri with fresher tyres is up to fourth, 3 seconds behind Leclerc.

Gasly pases Albon for tenth. Alonso passes Albon for 11th.

On lap 41 Sainz sets fast lap at 1m14.117s.

At lap 45 Norris leads Verstappen by 11.5 seconds, followed by Leclerc (17.8s), Piastri (18.8s), Russell (24.4s), Perez (26.5s), Sainz (26.6s), Hamilton (32.9s), Hulkenberg (55.7s), and Gasly (1m04.5s) in tenth place.

Piastri is closing on Leclerc.

On lap 47 Sainz passes Perez for sixth place.

On lap 49 Hamilton pits from eighth for soft tyres and rejoins still in eighth.

On lap 50 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m13.883s.

Russell pits for soft tyres and rejoins seventh ahead of Hamilton.

At lap 56 Norris leads Verstappen by 15.4 seconds, followed by Leclerc (22.3s), Piastri (23.3s), Sainz (30.8s), Perez (34.0s), Russell (50.4s), Hamilton (53.5s), Hulkenberg (1m09.6s), and Gasly (1m11.6s) in tennth place.

Albon passes Magnussen for 17th.

On lap 60 Piastri is closing on Leclerc, with 10 lap fresher tyres.

On lap 61 Gasly passes Hulkenberg for ninth place.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m13.878s.

At lap 65 Norris leads Verstappen by 18.1 seconds, followed by Leclerc (23.7s), Piastri (24.7s), Sainz (30.3s), Perez (37.8s), Russell (46.8s), Hamilton (48.2s), Gasly (1 lap), and Alonso in tenth place.

On lap 70 Norris leads Verstappen by 20.1 seconds.

At the finish Norris takes the win over Verstappen and Leclerc.

On the final lap Norris took fastest lap of the race at 1m13.817s.