Oscar Piastri took a commanding victory at the Dutch Grand Prix, strengthening his championship bid as teammate and closest rival Lando Norris was forced to retire with a late-race engine failure.
Starting from pole, the 24-year-old Australian led confidently from the first corner and never relinquished control, even through light rain and multiple safety car restarts. His pole-to-flag triumph gave him a 34-point cushion in the standings, a major psychological and mathematical swing in the title battle.
For Norris, the race ended in heartbreak. Running second with only seven laps remaining, smoke filled his cockpit before an oil leak forced him to stop. The Briton sat alone on the dunes at Zandvoort, helmet still on, as his title hopes suffered a major setback. “It wasn’t my fault, so there’s nothing I can really do. It hurts a bit in a championship point of view,” he admitted afterward.
Lewis Hamilton also endured a bitter afternoon, crashing his Ferrari on lap 21 after losing control on a damp patch at Turn 3. The seven-time champion apologised to his team but insisted he had made progress despite the mistake, with team boss Fred Vasseur highlighting positives ahead of Ferrari’s home race at Monza.
Behind Piastri, Max Verstappen secured second for Red Bull, while rookie Isack Hadjar claimed a sensational maiden podium for Racing Bulls in third. George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, with Alex Albon rounding out the top five for Williams.
With nine races remaining, the championship momentum has shifted heavily in Piastri’s favour. Norris now faces the toughest test of his young career as he seeks to regroup for Monza, while Hamilton and Ferrari look to reset quickly on home soil.
