Zandvoort delivered a bruising classic. The 2025 F1 Dutch Grand Prix went to Oscar Piastri, while Lando Norris saw a sure podium vanish with late-race smoke and silence. Max Verstappen fought to second in front of the orange wall, and Isack Hadjar claimed a stunning first podium.
Two Safety Cars, big strategy swings, and one fiery Leclerc–Antonelli flashpoint wrote the middle acts. Alex Albon charged from P15 to P5, Oliver Bearman rose from the pit lane to sixth, and McLaren left with elation and heartbreak in the same hour.
The Chronicle Headlines
- Piastri executes when it counts, controls both restarts and wins comfortably to stretch the title lead to 34 points.
- Norris heartbreak near the end, reports smoke on Lap 65 and parks a wounded McLaren after running P2 in the 2025 F1 Dutch Grand Prix.
- Verstappen settles for second, early soft-tyre gamble fades, late charge cannot crack the papaya wall.
- Hadjar lands a career-first podium, stays cool under pressure, and keeps Russell at arm’s length for P3 — a world away from his F1 debut, where he didn’t even make the start.
- Leclerc vs Antonelli boils over, contact at Turn 3 ends the Ferrari’s race and earns the rookie time penalties.
- Safety Cars shape the story, Hamilton’s Turn 3 crash triggers the first, the Leclerc–Antonelli clash the second; McLaren nail the double-stack.
- Big movers star in the pack, Albon storms to P5 from P15 and Bearman banks P6 from a pit-lane start; Stroll and Alonso secure double points for Aston Martin.
This weekend also carried a moment of reflection, as the paddock remembered Anthoine Hubert.
McLaren in Rhythm, Practice Belongs to Papaya
FP1: Norris opens on top, Piastri close behind
McLaren came back from the summer break in full voice. Lando Norris set the early weekend marker with a 1:10.278. Oscar Piastri shadowed him at plus 0.292. The pair moved to the soft tyre mid-session and found clear air. Their pace stood apart from the field.
The hour began busy. A brief VSC and double yellows arrived as the pack rushed out on a cool and windy Zandvoort. Lewis Hamilton looped his car with a 360 at Turn 2 yet kept it running. Moments later Yuki Tsunoda spun through the Turn 11–12 complex and continued. Andrea Kimi Antonelli then understeered into the gravel at Turn 9. That beached Mercedes forced the only red flag and an eight-minute pause.
Once running resumed, Max Verstappen briefly headed the times. However, the track evolved fast as more soft runs appeared. Norris and Piastri dropped into the 1:10s and stayed there. Aston Martin kept its Hungary momentum as Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso slotted third and fourth. Alex Albon impressed for Williams in fifth.
Verstappen ended sixth and within a second of Norris. Yet his session closed with drama after the flag. A practice start into Turn 1 became a lock-up and a slide into the gravel. George Russell took seventh after his own late off at Tarzan. Carlos Sainz finished eighth. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten.
Racing Bulls sat next with Liam Lawson in P11 and Isack Hadjar in P12. Nico Hülkenberg followed in P13. Ferrari’s low-key hour placed Charles Leclerc and Hamilton in P14 and P15. Tsunoda was P16 ahead of Esteban Ocon. Franco Colapinto, Ollie Bearman and the sidelined Antonelli completed the order. Teams closed on medium-tyre, higher-fuel runs, banking data in case rain washes out later mileage.
FP2: Norris edges Alonso as stoppages slice up the hour
Lando Norris completed a clean Friday sweep at the Dutch Grand Prix, topping the second practice session with a 1:09.890. The McLaren driver finished just 0.087 ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and 0.089 clear of his team-mate Oscar Piastri. Behind the leading trio, George Russell slotted into fourth, while Max Verstappen ended fifth, six-tenths adrift on home soil. The rest of the top ten included Lewis Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, Charles Leclerc, Franco Colapinto, and Nico Hülkenberg.
The session began with urgency. Clouds threatened rain, and all 20 drivers streamed out of the pit lane as the green light flicked on. Lap times dropped quickly, but the rhythm was broken by multiple interruptions. Lance Stroll suffered a heavy crash at Turn 3’s banked corner after carrying too much speed, which brought the first red flag. Minutes later, Isack Hadjar stopped on his out-lap with no power, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. Then, with just over 20 minutes left, Alex Albon locked up at Turn 1 and beached his Williams in the gravel, causing the second stoppage of the session.
Between interruptions, the timesheets shuffled. Bearman and Hülkenberg briefly led before Alonso surged to the top with a 1:09.977. Norris then reclaimed P1 with his soft-tyre flyer, underlining McLaren’s intent. Hamilton spun at Turn 9 while on a fast lap but recovered to finish sixth, while Tsunoda bounced back from a poor FP1 to claim seventh.
Despite the stoppages, the order at the front looks clear: McLaren in control, Aston Martin lurking, and Red Bull still chasing answers ahead of the 2025 F1 Dutch Grand Prix Saturday. Verstappen’s pace did not match the papaya cars, but with changing conditions forecast, home advantage could still count on Saturday.
FP3: Norris completes the practice hat trick
Lando Norris stayed untouchable in final practice. His 1:08.972 put McLaren on top again, with Oscar Piastri next and George Russell third. The gap to Norris was more than two tenths for Piastri. Russell trailed by a wider margin as Mercedes focused on balance work.
Overnight storms left the surface patchy at the 11:30 local start. The circuit was declared wet, so early laps were cautious and slow to build. Once a dry line formed, McLaren fired first. Norris set the marker on softs. Piastri replied, quicker in sector one yet down over the lap. Then Norris found another step and reset the bar.
Max Verstappen could not join the fight at the front. He wrestled understeer and sat behind the McLarens and Russell. Ferrari split programs. Charles Leclerc found traction late, while Lewis Hamilton reported front end nerves and finished outside the leading group.
There was one late flashpoint. Russell and Fernando Alonso had a near miss approaching pit entry. The stewards noted the incident for review after the session. It did not change the order, but it added tension before qualifying.
McLaren leave practice with clean air and clear intent. Zandvoort rewards rhythm and platform control, and the MCL39 has both. Qualifying now asks the final question.
Qualifying Belongs to Piastri as McLaren Lock the Front Row
Q1: Piastri pips Norris, Stroll out after Turn 13 off
Oscar Piastri topped Q1 and broke teammates practice stranglehold. His 1:09.338 put him 0.131 ahead of Lando Norris as the field ran the soft C4. Conditions were dry and bright, with the surface still green in places after overnight storms. George Russell slotted third, just ahead of Max Verstappen. The spread was tight. Everyone who set a lap sat within a second.
The session flipped early. Lance Stroll dipped a wheel on entry to Turn 13, spun across the gravel and kissed the barrier. He limped back to the pits but never returned, so he ended without a time. After the restart the track evolved quickly. Piastri jumped Norris late, while Russell and Verstappen banked safe laps to avoid traffic.
The bubble was brutal. Charles Leclerc dragged his Ferrari from P15 to ninth with a clean final run. Liam Lawson delivered a sharp lap for fifth. Yuki Tsunoda escaped by a fine margin. Gabriel Bortoleto squeaked through in fifteenth and also out-qualified Nico Hülkenberg again. The German fell in P17 and recorded his fifth Q1 exit in six sessions. Both Haas entries went out, with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman in P18 and P19. Franco Colapinto missed the cut by less than a tenth in P16. Stroll completed the order in P20.
Q2: Norris replies, margins down to thousandths
McLaren owned the middle act. Lando Norris reset the benchmark with a 1:08.874, nine hundredths clear of Oscar Piastri. Max Verstappen sat third after laying the early marker. All fifteen runners were compressed into seven tenths, which tells you how punishing Zandvoort is when the track rubbers in.
Ferrari opened the phase alone, then the pack followed. Verstappen pleased the grandstands with a first flyer, but Norris replied at once. Piastri slotted between them by 0.090. Meanwhile, a curious side note arrived on team radio as Charles Leclerc reported a fox at Turn 10. It left the scene unharmed.
The cut line became a knife edge. After the first runs the danger zone held Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson, Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto and Pierre Gasly. On the second push laps Alonso climbed to seventh and Lawson to eighth. Sainz also cleared the line, which dropped Andrea Kimi Antonelli to eleventh by just 0.019. Gasly briefly reached tenth, then fell as sectors improved across the board. Alex Albon could not rescue his lap and vented about tyre prep.
Norris, Piastri and Verstappen advanced with headroom. The fight behind was brutal but clean. Eliminated: Antonelli, Yuki Tsunoda, Bortoleto, Gasly and Albon.
Q3: Piastri on pole, Verstappen third on home soil
Oscar Piastri won the final shootout and claimed pole with a 1:08.662. Lando Norris missed by twelve thousandths after matching purple mini sectors but losing time on exit. Max Verstappen delivered a spectacular middle sector on his last attempt yet could not breach the papaya front row.
After the first runs Piastri held provisional pole by a paper-thin gap. Norris went out first for the second sequence, with clean air and temperature on his side. Piastri followed and lit up sector one. Norris then answered in sector two. Neither improved at the line, so Piastri kept the prize and a clear view to Turn 1.
Behind them the order shifted late. Isack Hadjar stunned the pit lane with a clean final lap to secure fourth for Racing Bulls. George Russell took fifth as Mercedes trimmed wing for quali bite. Ferrari split their cars on row three. Charles Leclerc found time when it counted for sixth, while Lewis Hamilton ended seventh after an untidy final sector.
Liam Lawson continued a composed day and banked eighth. Carlos Sainz put the Williams into ninth with a tidy final chicane. Fernando Alonso completed the top ten after recovering from a narrow escape in Q2.
McLaren lock the front row on merit. The track rewarded rhythm and traction, and their car carried both across the lap. That set up the 2025 F1 Dutch Grand Prix showdown. Verstappen still starts within range at home. One launch, one brave Tarzan, and the chase begins.
2025 F1 Dutch Grand Prix: Piastri Triumphs as Norris’ Dream Ends in Smoke
Lights out and the opening stint
Oscar Piastri launched cleanly from pole and covered the inside into Turn 1. Lando Norris lost momentum on the outside line and Max Verstappen seized the chance. The Red Bull swept around Tarzan and held second after a brief slide. That moved Norris into recovery mode as the field found its rhythm. Piastri controlled the gap and built four seconds of air while light rain began to spit across the dunes.
Norris regrouped and stalked Verstappen in the DRS window. He chose lap nine for a brave move around the outside of Turn 1. The McLaren stuck and the pass stood on exit. That put the team back on a one two path and kept Piastri honest. Behind them Isack Hadjar impressed with calm pace and clean exits. The Racing Bulls rookie held station near Verstappen and kept a tight train behind. Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton formed the next group.
Early stops began as teams weighed the weather and tyre life. Aston Martin blinked first for Lance Stroll and went for the hard compound. Zandvoort stayed damp in places and the wind shifted through the final banking. The surface evolved yet never settled. Piastri’s radio stayed calm. Norris pushed without taking risks. Verstappen protected his tyres and waited for a break in traffic. The Dutch GP 2025 built tension rather than chaos and the leaders kept the powder dry.
Safety Cars, strategy pivots and the mid-race fights
The first full Safety Car came on lap 24 after Hamilton lost the rear on the Turn 3 banking. It was one of the decisive moments of the 2025 F1 Dutch Grand Prix He hit the wall and walked away while debris brought the pack together. The timing hurt Leclerc who had pitted under green only moments before. McLaren double stacked with precision and kept track position. Norris nudged the front jack as he launched yet the crew cleared quickly and no penalty followed.
At the restart the order read Piastri, Norris, Verstappen, Hadjar, Russell and Leclerc. Verstappen ran mediums while most rivals chose hards which split strategies for the long run. Soon after, Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson touched on exit of Turn 1. Both took damage and new tyres. Stewards handed Sainz a ten second penalty for the contact. The race settled then flared again. Leclerc forced past Russell at Turn 3 with elbows out. Mercedes argued he left the track, while Ferrari said the space was there. The stewards deferred a call until after the flag.
Traffic punished small errors. Fernando Alonso fumed at dirty air and pit timing before cutting through Saubers on fresher rubber. Mercedes then rolled the dice with Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Russell moved aside on orders and the rookie pitted for an aggressive soft run. Leclerc covered and their paths crossed again. Antonelli dived inside at Turn 3 and understeered into the Ferrari. Leclerc retired. Antonelli limped back with a puncture and took a time penalty. A second Safety Car followed to clear the mess and reset the race.
Final stint drama and the flag
With fifteen laps to go the field regrouped. McLaren fitted fresh hards. Verstappen chose used softs for bite. Hadjar, Russell and Alex Albon mirrored those choices and set up a tense sprint. Piastri nailed the restart. Norris held Verstappen through the opening sector and defended with clean exits. The sea breeze picked up and the final banking felt lively.
Then came heartbreak. On lap sixty five Norris radioed smoke in the cockpit. Moments later his car slowed and stopped. He climbed out and watched the race slip away. Piastri kept his head as the gap ahead of Verstappen steadied. The home favourite could not mount a charge and settled into second. Hadjar delivered the drive of his season. He managed tyres, kept Russell at arm’s length and claimed a first career podium in third.
Russell brought the Mercedes home in fourth after a measured close. Albon rose to fifth with smart stops and crisp defence. Oliver Bearman impressed with sixth from a pit lane start. Aston Martin banked double points with Stroll seventh and Alonso eighth. Yuki Tsunoda rescued ninth for Red Bull. Esteban Ocon completed the top ten for Haas. Antonelli crossed the line in the points but his penalties dropped him out. At the front Piastri took the flag and widened his title lead. It was clinical and composed on a day that turned from control to chaos then back again.
By the way Isack broke his first F1 trophy during celebration.
Post race penalty for Hamilton
The stewards handed Lewis Hamilton a five-place grid penalty for Monza and two penalty points, judging that his 20 km/h lift under double yellows at pit entry did not meet the requirement of ‘significantly’ reducing speed. For Ferrari, it’s another costly blow in a season where margins are already razor-thin.
What Next?
Next up, Formula 1 heads to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, the fastest race on the calendar. The Temple of Speed will test low-downforce efficiency and straight-line power, rewarding those who can balance drag reduction with tyre life. Ferrari arrive under pressure to deliver at home, while McLaren aim to carry momentum into the European finale. With the championship picture tightening and slipstream battles guaranteed, Monza promises another classic.
Feature Image Credit: Mclaren