The last F1 race weekend at Zandvoort was already going to be memorable, but with a red flag on lap two, a home hero in the barriers, frustrated drivers on the radio, and Lando Norris winning for the second race in a row, the final Dutch Grand Prix became unforgettable.
The red flag that reset Zandvoort
Max Verstappen was already experiencing a tough weekend before the race even started. Red Bull weren’t in the best form, and he could only qualify in seventh.
But any chances of recovering from those setbacks disappeared before the first lap could be completed. As the Dutch driver was coming out of the final corner of the track, which was still wet from when it had rained before the race, he lost the rear and ended up colliding with the barriers.
He was okay, thankfully. But after extending his contract with Red Bull until 2030, it was a very disappointing way to say goodbye to his final home race.
“Disappointing pace and a disappointing end to the weekend.”
Max Verstappen
Verstappen’s crash brought out a red flag, stopping the Dutch GP 2026 momentarily.
Norris chases down Antonelli
At the restart, Antonelli overtook Norris and became race leader. The 19-year-old held onto the first position for most of the race and was looking comfortable at the front. But Norris didn’t let up and worked on slowly closing the gap between the two of them.
The lead changed again on lap 54 of the Dutch GP 2026, when Norris went around the outside of Antonelli at Turn 1. It was a bold overtake, and he was rewarded well for it when he also overtook Hamilton during the same lap. This meant the reigning World Champion had regained the lead of the race.
“I knew I wasn’t going to get many chances. That move won me the race.”
Lando Norris
A late Virtual Safety Car brought several drivers in for fresh tyres, including Antonelli, while Norris stayed out. This helped the McLaren driver keep the lead and finish 11 seconds clear at the end.
After winning in Hungary, this marked back-to-back wins for Lando Norris.
Russell holds on, Hamilton pushes hard
The closing laps got a little complicated for Mercedes. When Antonelli pitted during the VSC, he came out behind Russell. The team asked Russell to let his teammate through, and the Briton did it, but was understandably not thrilled about it.
Russell found himself defending Hamilton for third, while they were both on old tyres. The Mercedes driver managed to hold on and secured his place on the podium.
Hamilton crossed the line less than a second behind him in fourth. Spending much of the race stuck behind his teammate, Leclerc, he wasn’t happy about it either.
“I want to win. I’m here to win.”
Lewis Hamilton
But George Russell’s weekend was still a step up, with a sprint win on Saturday and a podium on Sunday at the Dutch GP 2026.
Further down the Dutch GP 2026 grid
Leclerc finished fifth after a tricky afternoon. Piastri was sixth, dropping down two places. Lawson drove well to finish seventh, driving for the senior Red Bull this weekend. Hülkenberg, Alonso, and Gasly came in eighth, ninth, and tenth, respectively.
Williams had a painful afternoon. Albon, who had been fighting for points, found his race to be over after contact with his own teammate Sainz. Sainz took the blame in the post-race conference, while Albon felt like points were there for the taking before it happened.
What the Dutch GP 2026 means for the title fight
Norris is now just 24 points behind Hamilton and Russell, who both hold 183 points. Two wins in a row, upgrades that are working, and a car that is getting faster. McLaren is starting to look strong.
Antonelli still leads the championship, but the last few race weekends have shown that the gap is not as comfortable as it looks.
Monza is next, which is also the championship leader’s home race. And it is going to be an uphill battle for Antonelli after a grid penalty for a planned engine change is already confirmed.
