Oscar Piastri took victory on the Zandvoort tracks at the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix, which saw one of the most dramatic races of the season. Amid multiple safety cars, collisions, and penalties, the race also brought unexpected heartbreak for British McLaren driver Lando Norris, who was forced to retire due to an oil leakage merely laps before crossing the checkered flag.
Starting from pole, Piastri defended his lead into turn one and all the way until the checkered flag. Norris briefly challenged Max Verstappen, who moved up into second place, but after a close exchange the Dutchman settled behind the Australian leader. By lap three, Piastri was already building a gap of over three seconds and secured the fastest lap early in the race.
Alex Albon impressed with a stellar start, climbing from 15th on the grid to break right into the top 10 by the end of the first lap. On the other hand, Gabriel Bortoleto’s race began poorly after contact with Lance Stroll left him with front wing damage.
The first ten laps saw plenty of wheel-to-wheel action, with Norris reclaiming second from Verstappen on lap nine with an outside move at turn one. Behind the leading trio, Charles Leclerc pursued Isack Hadjar in a tight fight for fourth, while rookies Kimi Antonelli and Franco Colapinto engaged in midfield duels.
The rain came in by lap 17, forcing strategic gambles as some drivers switched to harder compounds. Fernando Alonso pitted early but dropped to the back of the field. With conditions worsening, lap 23 saw Lewis Hamilton prompting out the first safety car of the afternoon with a devastating crash into the barriers between turns three and four.
The safety car period compressed the field and gave some drivers a free pit stop, reshuffling the midfield. On the restart, contact between Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson sent both tumbling down the order. Soon after, Leclerc and George Russell made light contact as the Ferrari driver forced his way through to fifth, a move that would later face post-race investigation.
As the race wore on, Antonelli became involved in incidents. The Mercedes junior driver overtook Albon for seventh but later collided with Leclerc, understeering at a turn on lap 53, sending the Ferrari into the barriers and out of the race. It was a disastrous afternoon for Ferrari, with both cars failing to finish. Antonelli was handed a 10-second penalty for the crash, later compounded by another five seconds for speeding in the pit lane.
Safety cars continued to disrupt the rhythm, with multiple yellow flag periods for debris and collisions. Each restart reshaped the order slightly, though Piastri remained calm at the front. By lap 45, the running order had the Australian leading Norris and Verstappen, with Hadjar holding fourth and Leclerc still in fifth before his crash.
The defining twist came with just a handful of laps remaining. On lap 65, Norris reported smoke rising from his cockpit, which was soon visible from the back of his McLaren. With no option left but to retire, the Briton pulled over at Turn 9, triggering another safety car phase. The retirement ended his hopes of a podium and dealt a serious blow to his championship campaign, previously having been just 9 points below Piastri.
On the restart at lap 68, Piastri managed the pressure expertly, fending off Verstappen and Hadjar to secure his seventh career win. The Australian’s composure across a chaotic afternoon allowed him to stretch his championship advantage to 34 points over his nearest rival.
Behind Piastri and Verstappen, rookie Isack Hadjar delivered a breakthrough performance for Racing Bulls, converting his fourth-place grid start into a maiden Formula 1 podium. George Russell brought his Mercedes home in fourth, while Albon’s charge from 15th to fifth gave Williams one of their best results of the season.
Further back, Stroll, Alonso, and Yuki Tsunoda picked up valuable points, while Pierre Gasly was left at the bottom of the order after a late collision with Tsunoda.
The Zandvoort race was a key moment in the season, bringing the drivers into the second half of the championship. While Piastri strengthened his title credentials, Norris’ misfortune brought a gripping twist into the title fight this year. Ferrari’s double retirement also compounded a difficult campaign, while Hadjar’s podium was a quite positive turnout of the rookies beginning to make their mark in Formula 1.
Oscar Piastri is currently leading the field after securing a significant victory in one of the year’s most unpredictable races, with fellow title contenders Lando Norris and Max Verstappen trailing closely behind. Following the drama brought on by the Dutch Grand Prix, all eyes now turn to Monza, where the Italian Grand Prix will be taking place next Sunday.
