2 days ago
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Oscar Piastri won the Dutch Grand Prix with a dominant drive to victory from pole position, a win which may have turned the course of the world championship after his title rival Lando Norris was forced to retire from second place as an oil leak hit his car just seven laps from the end.
The race was also marked by a remarkably uncharacteristic, apparently unforced, error from Lewis Hamilton which led to the seven-time champion crashing out early in the race, his hope for a fresh start in this second half of season at Ferrari ending in bitter disappointment.
Max Verstappen took second for Red Bull, Isack Hadjar was third for Racing Bulls, his first podium and a superb result in his rookie season. George Russell was fourth for Mercedes and Alex Albon fifth for Williams.
A shocking weekend for Ferrari was compounded when Charles Leclerc clashed with the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli at turn three, sending the Monegasque driver spinning into the barriers and ending his race. Antonelli had been going up the inside as Leclerc was on the racing line when they clipped wheels on lap 54.
Piastri’s win was as assured as any he has made this season and really did not look in doubt from the moment he had held his lead through turn one at the start of the race. Composed out front through a brief period of light rain and three safety car restarts, Norris put pressure on him but with the cars so evenly matched could never really threaten as Piastri took another vital win.
Second place, however, had looked safe for the British driver until Norris experienced the most damnable luck. On lap 65 he suddenly slowed as smoke poured from his engine as it failed because of what he said was an oil leak, an extremely rare failure in the modern era. He pulled over, climbed out and moved, dejected, to sit alone on the dunes, helmet on and head bowed sitting disconsolate as his hopes fell to pieces through no fault of his own.
However, heading into the title run-in firmly on the front foot is the perfect opening for Piastri as the championship enters its final phase. With nine meetings remaining, he has extended his lead over Norris from nine to 34 points.
For Hamilton this was the worst possible start to what he hoped would be a chance to reset what has been a difficult season on his debut with Ferrari.
Last week Hamilton has said he was determined to have fun driving again, to enjoy himself competing for the team he had dreamed of joining when he was child and that he felt positive and motivated. His hopes were left in tatters in a shower of carbon fibre as the front of his Ferrari came apart on impact with the barriers.
With very light rain just intensifying a little on lap 21, Hamilton was caught out. At turn three he went wide on to the painted part of the track which was slippery, lost the rear and slid inexorably off into the barriers. “I’m so sorry guys,” he said as, clearly dejected, he made his way on foot back to the paddock, helmet still firmly on.
Before the summer break he had been downcast due to a qualifying he described as “absolutely useless” in Hungary. But a recharge had seen him upbeat and energised once more at Zandvoort until he lost the car in circumstances in which he usually exhibits unflappable control, yet he did remain optimistic.
“Took me by complete surprise what happened, I lost the rear up the bank and that was it. I was hoping to save it, but I didn’t,” he said.
“Apart from that, it’s been a really solid weekend. I feel like I made progress, just overall, and my approach and everything. To come away with nothing is definitely painful. I’m sad for the team because I really wanted to get those points for the team today.”
Piastri, however, went on to cruise to the flag, unflappable to the last after the final restart following Norris’s retirement, he took the win with complete composure and leaving his rival with a mountain to climb.
Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon were sixth and 10th for Haas, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were in seventh and eighth for Aston Martin and Yuki Tsunoda ninth for Red Bull.
