McLaren's British driver Lando Norris celebrates with the trophy during the awarding ceremony after the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
By F1 correspondent Michael Butterworth
BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- McLaren's Lando Norris claimed his second consecutive Formula 1 victory in Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, passing championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton before pulling clear to win a chaotic race interrupted by Max Verstappen's heavy opening-lap crash.
Norris took the chequered flag 11.5 seconds ahead of Antonelli, with the Italian's Mercedes teammate George Russell holding off Ferrari's Hamilton to complete the podium. Hamilton's teammate Charles Leclerc was fifth ahead of the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
The victory underlined McLaren's growing competitiveness, although Antonelli strengthened his position in the drivers' championship by finishing ahead of his closest rivals.
By contrast, Verstappen's hopes of victory in front of his home crowd ended almost immediately.
The Dutchman lost control of his Red Bull at the final corner on the opening lap after running onto the inside kerb on a damp track. His car spun up the banking and slammed heavily into the outside barrier, scattering debris across the circuit and bringing out a red flag.
When racing resumed, Antonelli attacked Norris and swept into the lead at Turn 1.
The Mercedes driver initially controlled the race, but Norris and McLaren used their pit-stop strategy to build a tyre advantage that would prove decisive.
Russell was the first of the leading drivers to make a scheduled stop, with Piastri following shortly afterward. Antonelli and Norris stopped several laps later, temporarily handing Hamilton the lead as the Ferrari driver ran out of sequence with the frontrunners.
Mercedes brought Antonelli in for his second stop on Lap 40, while Norris stayed out for seven more laps before making his own stop. That offset gave Norris fresher tyres as he began hunting down the Mercedes.
By Lap 52, Norris was directly behind Antonelli, with both drivers rapidly closing on Hamilton, who was still leading on older tyres.
Norris made the decisive move two laps later, sweeping around the outside of Antonelli as the Mercedes driver searched for a way past Hamilton. Norris then passed Hamilton later on the same lap to take the lead on track, with Antonelli also clearing the Ferrari.
A virtual safety car caused by Esteban Ocon stopping on track then gave several drivers an opportunity to make another stop. Antonelli switched to soft tyres and emerged behind Russell, prompting Mercedes to order Russell to surrender second place so his teammate could chase Norris.
The decision left Russell vulnerable to Hamilton and prompted frustration from the Briton, who believed Mercedes had jeopardized a double podium.
Hamilton attacked his former teammate in the closing laps, but Russell held on, aided when another virtual safety car was called to allow debris to be cleared from the track.
There was also tension at Ferrari after Hamilton, running behind Leclerc despite having fresher tyres, complained that he was being held up. Ferrari eventually called Leclerc into the pits rather than ordering the two drivers to swap positions.
None of the late drama threatened Norris, who had built a lead of more than 10 seconds and comfortably controlled the closing stages to seal another victory.
Further back, Fernando Alonso produced an impressive one-stop drive to finish ninth, earning Aston Martin its first points since the incident-filled Monaco Grand Prix. Hulkenberg finished eighth, while Alpine's Pierre Gasly completed the top 10.
Despite missing out on victory, Antonelli extended his championship lead to 59 points. The Italian has 242 points, with Russell and Hamilton next up on 183.
Mercedes also extended its advantage in the constructors' standings with 425 points, ahead of Ferrari on 338. McLaren is third with 263.
The Formula 1 season continues with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sept. 6. ■
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris (R) sprays champagne on the podium during the awarding ceremony after the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris celebrates after the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris crosses the finish line during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli (R) and McLaren's Lando Norris compete during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris competes during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris competes during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris (2nd L), Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli (1st L) and Mercedes' British driver George Russell (1st R) pose for photos during the awarding ceremony after the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
Williams' Carlos Sainz of Spain crashes into his Thai teammate Alexander Albon during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Photo by Bao Di/Xinhua)
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris (C) celebrates with the trophy during the awarding ceremony after the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
McLaren's British driver Lando Norris celebrates with the trophy during the awarding ceremony after the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen waves to spectators before the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
Drivers compete during the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix Race at Zandvoort Circuit, near Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Aug. 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
