For the first time in what feels like an eternity, Max Verstappen was on the receiving end of a Formula 1 schooling—courtesy of McLaren’s Lando Norris. The Dutch Grand Prix saw Norris reclaim the lead from Verstappen after the opening lap and storm to victory with an astonishing 22-second gap, leaving the Red Bull driver in the dust. The tables have turned, and McLaren has out-developed Red Bull, a scenario almost unthinkable just a few months ago.
Norris, who has been a consistent threat this season, was confident after a stellar qualifying session. He anticipated a close battle with Verstappen, but even he was surprised by the ease with which he dominated the race. “Saturday is always a good indication of what you are able to do, and we were very quick yesterday, so we had high hopes. The car has been lovely to drive,” Norris told Sky Sports F1 after the race. “I thought Max would be quicker than he was. It seemed like he was the outlier as he dropped all the way back to the Ferraris, which was a surprise.”
When asked if he considered himself in the title fight with Verstappen, Norris was quick to point out that he’s been in it from the start. “I have been all year; it’s not like I have decided just to do it now! I have had the car for a while, that is obvious,” he said. “It has been phenomenal. I wouldn’t say we have been the best since Miami, but on average, we have been. We had opportunities to beat Max and haven’t. But that is in the past. We have tried to improve in lots of areas, and a result like today proves that. It feels like a good start to the second half of the year.”
Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri, who started third, couldn’t replicate his teammate’s success. Despite a strong qualifying performance, Piastri finished fourth after being stuck in the dirty air behind Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari for most of the race. “I got stuck in the dirty air, it was as simple as that. In the clear air, the pace was strong. I just spent 65 of the 72 laps behind someone,” Piastri lamented. “It was a bit of a disappointment considering the pace of the car, so not the weekend I was after. There are quite a few things to review.”
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella was over the moon with the result, especially given the team’s recent upgrades. “It’s beyond expectations. We knew the car was performing well, but today was a positive surprise in terms of how fast it was,” Stella said. “It’s great that Lando could capitalize with a dominant victory. It’s a bit of a shame with Oscar that he got stuck in traffic. He deserved a podium today and could have attacked Verstappen. This didn’t materialize, but it’s very promising for future races.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown echoed the sentiments but remained cautious about the future. “We knew we were fast all weekend, so I am not shocked at the size of the gap, just pleasantly surprised. Lando definitely controlled the race,” Brown said. “The upgrades clearly worked, but we need to keep our feet on the ground with how competitive Formula 1 is and not assume that is going to be repeated every weekend. We clearly have a fast car and have some fun stuff coming for Monza, so I think we will be ready. But I think Red Bull will be quick there.”
As the F1 season enters its final stretch, the battle between McLaren and Red Bull is heating up. With Norris showing that he can take the fight to Verstappen and McLaren’s upgrades delivering immediate results, the championship race just got a lot more interesting.
