Dutch GP: Piastri takes crucial win as Norris suffers late retirement

Oscar Piastri significantly strengthened his grip on the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship with victory in a dramatic Dutch Grand Prix, while McLaren team-mate and title rival Lando Norris suffered a crushing retirement just seven laps from the finish.

Lining up from pole, Piastri held his nerve into Turn 1, while Norris briefly lost out to Max Verstappen, who thrilled his home crowd by diving around the outside into Tarzan. The Red Bull driver slid wide but somehow clung onto the position, forcing Norris into a recovery drive.

That suited Piastri perfectly, the Australian quickly pulling four seconds clear as Norris regrouped. On lap nine, Norris reclaimed second with a bold move on Verstappen and began trimming the gap to his team-mate just as light rain began spitting across the seaside circuit.

• 2025 Dutch Grand Prix - Race results

Verstappen’s early gamble on soft tyres backfired as they quickly degraded, leaving him vulnerable to Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar.

The impressive Frenchman not only kept the world champion in sight but also led a tight pack including Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Mercedes’ George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

First Safety Car Shakes the Order

Hamilton’s crash at Turn 3 on lap 24 brought out the first full safety car. The timing was disastrous for Leclerc, who had already pitted under green and lost track position as rivals benefited from cheaper stops.

At the restart, the order read Piastri, Norris, Verstappen, Hadjar, Russell and a frustrated Leclerc. Verstappen bolted on mediums while most others switched to hards, setting up a strategic contrast for the remainder of the race.

Moments later, drama flared again when Williams’ Carlos Sainz tangled with Liam Lawson, damaging both cars. Sainz raged at the New Zealander but the stewards handed the Spaniard a 10-second penalty.

Mid-Race Battles and Controversy

The race settled into rhythm until lap 33, when Leclerc muscled past Russell at Turn 3 in a move that appeared to cut across the apex. The stewards delayed an investigation until after the race, leaving Mercedes incensed.

Up front, McLaren remained in control. Piastri managed a slender cushion over Norris, with team radio urging the Briton to push if he could find a way past. Behind them, Hadjar stuck impressively with Verstappen, eyeing a maiden podium.

Mercedes rolled the dice with rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, ordering Russell aside before calling the Italian in for an aggressive soft-tyre stint. Leclerc covered him immediately, sparking contact between the pair that ended both of their races in a Turn 3 spin.

Antonelli was later penalised, but the damage was done: another safety car.

The Final Dash

With 15 laps left, the field regrouped. McLaren opted for fresh hards, Verstappen went to used softs, and the rest of the top ten largely mirrored that split. Piastri aced the restart, while Norris initially kept Verstappen at bay.

But heartbreak struck on lap 65. Norris radioed smoke in the cockpit before pulling over, climbing from his stricken McLaren and burying his head in his hands as he watched his team-mate march toward another victory.

That left Piastri unchallenged at the front. Verstappen, cheered on by a sea of orange, could not mount a charge and instead settled for second. The star of the afternoon proved to be Hadjar, who kept his cool under pressure to claim a sensational first career podium in third.

Points Scorers and Standings

Russell salvaged fourth for Mercedes, just ahead of Alex Albon, who turned his P15 grid slot into a strong fifth-place finish for Williams. Ferrari reserve Oliver Bearman impressed with sixth from a pitlane start, while Aston Martin locked out seventh and eighth with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso.

Yuki Tsunoda rescued ninth after a difficult afternoon, and Esteban Ocon rounded out the points in tenth for Haas.

At the front of the title battle, Piastri’s seventh victory of the season opens up a 34-point lead as Formula 1 heads to Monza next weekend.

For Norris, a golden opportunity slipped away in smoke, leaving McLaren with both elation and despair in the space of a single afternoon.

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