Race Notes - Piastri wins Dutch GP

By Mark Karp

Oscar Piastri in his McLaren-Mercedes won the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. After leading a close McLaren 1-2 for much of the race, on lap 65 of 72 Lando Norris pulled to the side of the track his car smoking.

Max Verstappen in his Red Bull-Honda finished in second place, 1.271 seconds behind the winner.

Isack Hadjar, in the Racing Bulls-Honda, became the youngest ever French driver to score a podium, 3.233 seconds behind the winner.

The win is Piastri’s seventh of the season, and ninth of his career, and now leads Norris by 34 points in the Drivers’ Championship.

George Russell (5.654s) in the Mercedes GP was fourth, followed by Alex Albon (6.327s) in the Williams-Mercedes was fifth, Oliver Bearman (9.044s) in the Haas-Mercedes was sixth, Lance Stroll (9.497s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes was seventh, Fernando Alonso (11.709s) in the second Aston Martin was eighth, Yuki Tsunoda (13.597s) in the second Red Bull was ninth, and Esteban Ocon (14.063s) in the Haas-Ferrari took the final point in tenth place.

Before the start there is talk of potential rain showers hitting the circuit during the race.

The two McLaren’s are on the front row with Piastri and Norris, Verstappen and Hadjar (his best race starting position) on row 2, Russell and Leclerc on row 3, Hamilton and Lawson on row 4, and Sainz and Alonso rounding out the top ten.

The top 15 starting on medium tyres except the two Red Bull’s of Verstappen and Tsunoda on soft.

At the appointed time the field came around to the grid, the lights went off, and the race began with Piastri takes the lead, Vestappen gets ahead of Norris in second, followed by Norris Hadjar, Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Lawson, Sainz, and Albon in tenth, up five spots.

On lap 3 Piastiri has a 1.6 second lead over Verstappen, teams are expecting rain on lap 7.

At lap 7 Piastri has a 2.7s lead over Verstappen, Norris, Hadjar, Laclerc, and Russell. Teams say when the rain hits, it will last for 10 laps.

On lap 9 Norris passes Verstappen on the outside of turn 1 to take back second place, as Verstappen’s soft tyres start to get used up.

Piastri leads Norris by 4.1s, Verstappen, Hadjar, Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Lawson, Sainz and Albon in tenth,

On lap 13, with rain not hitting so far, it might be compromising the strategy of those who started on soft tyres.

At lap 15 Piastri leads Norris by 4.4 seconds, followed by Verstappen (5.5s), Hadjar (7.2s), Leclerc (8.7s), Russell (10.4s), Hamilton (11.0s), Lawson (13.3s), Sainz (15.2s), and Albon (17.2s) in tenth.

On lap 16 there seems to be some drops of rain starting to fall.

On lap 17 Antonelli is looking to pass Tsunoda.

On lap 19 Alonso pits for hard tyres.

At lap 20 Piastri leads Norris by 3.3 seconds.

Tsunoda pits for hard tyres. A bit more rain is falling in turn 1.

Hamilton is closing on Russell in sixth.

On lap 23 Leclerc pits for

Hamilton hits the barriers and it out, the safety car is out. Drivers pit with light rain.

Piastri leads Norris, Verstappen, Hadjar, Russell, Leclerc, Lawson, Sainz, Ocon, Albon, Antonelli, Stroll, Bearman, Alonso, Tsunoda, Gassly, Colapinto, and Bortoleto in 19th.

At the end of lap 26 the Safety Car is in and the race resumes with Piastri leading Norris.

Lawson and Sainz make contact and fall down the order. Both pit.

Both drivers limp to the pits

On lap 28 Piastri leads Norris, Verstappen, Hadjar, Russell, Leclerc, Albon, Antonelli, Stroll, and Ocon in tenth.

The skies are looking brighter.

On lap 31 the virtual safety car is out with debris on the front straight.

The Virtual Safety car is ended, the race resumes. Leclerc passes Russell for fifth place.

At half distance, on lap 36 Piastri leads Norris by 1.6 seconds, followed by Verstappen, Hadjar, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Albon, Stroll, and Ocon in tenth place.

With the damage on Russell’s car from Leclerc, the team thinks he should let Antonelli past him to chase Leclerc.

Russell and Leclerc’s collision will be investigated after the race.

At lap 45 Piastri leads Norris by 1.2 seconds, followed by Verstappen (8.8s), Hadjar (10.9s), Leclerc (12.9s), Antonelli (16.3s), Russell (21.0s), Albon (24.3s), Stroll (35.4s), and Ocon (38.9s) in tenth.

On lap 50, Piastri leads Norris by 1.216 seconds, as the McLaren’s are holding steady.

Alonso passes Hulkenberg for 16th place.

On lap 52 Antonelli pits from seventh changing to soft tyres and rejoins eighth. Leclerc pits the next lap for softs and rejoins eighth behing Antonelli - Antonelli hitting Leclerc and spinning him into the wall.

The safety car is out and many pit including the two leaders.

Leclerc is out. Antonelli limps back to the pit to change tyres.

On lap 55 behind the safety car Piastri leads Norris, both on hard tyres, followed by Vertstappen, Hadjar, Russell, Albon, Antonelli, Gasly, Alonso, Bortoleto in tenth, Bearman, Stroll, Tsunoda, Ocon, Colapinto, Hulkenberg, Lawson, and Sainz in 18th.

Tsunoda reports that he is having a problem with getting power to be delivered.

At the end of lap 57 Safety Car is in and the race resumes.

Piastri leads Norris and Verstappen.

Piastri sets fast lap, Norris sets the it the next lap on lap 59 with a 1m12.329s.

And Piastri sets it again on the next lap at 1m12.271s.

With 10 laps left Piastri leads Norris by 1.5 seconds.

Ocon and Colapinto are battling for 13th.

Verstappen is not happy with his current tyres and trails

Bearman passes Gasly for eighth.

Norris says he is smelling smoke in the cockpit.

On lap 65 Norris pulls to the side of the track with his car smoking. The Safety Car is out.

Behind the Safety Car Piastri leads Verstappen, Hadjar, Russell, Albon, Antonelli, Bearman, Stroll, Alonso, Gasly in tenth, Tsunoda, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Lawson, Bortoleto, and Sainzz in 17th.

Norris sits on the side of the circuit with his helmet on, his head down.

At the end of lap 68 the Safety Car is in and we are racing again Piastri ahead of Verstappen and Hadjar.

With 2 laps left there are drops of rain.

Piastri crosses the finish line with the win ahead of Verstappen and rookie Hadjar.