Oscar Piastri tightened his grip on the Formula 1 championship battle with a commanding win at the Dutch Grand Prix, while teammate and title rival Lando Norris suffered a devastating retirement just seven laps from the finish.
The 24-year-old Australian delivered a flawless pole-to-flag performance at Zandvoort, surviving light rain and three safety-car restarts to secure maximum points. His calm display extended his lead in the standings to 34 points — a significant blow to Norris, who began the weekend just nine points adrift.
Norris had been running comfortably in second when smoke began to fill his cockpit due to an oil leak, forcing him to pull over. The Briton sat alone on the dunes, helmet bowed, as his title hopes took a major hit. “It wasn’t my fault, so there’s nothing I can really do. It’s just not my weekend,” he said, reflecting with impressive composure despite the heartbreak.
Lewis Hamilton’s race also ended in disappointment, the Ferrari driver crashing out on lap 21 after losing control on a damp section of track. The seven-time world champion had hoped for a fresh start after the summer break but remained upbeat, saying the weekend had still been “a solid step forward.”
Behind Piastri, Max Verstappen claimed second for Red Bull in front of his home crowd, while rookie Isack Hadjar celebrated his first career podium with third place for Racing Bulls. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, with Alex Albon taking fifth for Williams in another strong performance.
As the grid heads to Monza, Piastri holds the momentum in the title fight, while Norris faces the challenge of regrouping quickly to keep his championship hopes alive.
