Dutch GP: Lando Norris admits "it hurts" as Piastri stretches lead in title race

Lando Norris retired due to a mechanical failure shortly before the end of the Dutch Grand Prix, losing a second-place finish and scoring zero points while his teammate Oscar Piastri took the win.

Piastri claimed a pivotal victory, winning a chaotic and dramatic race at Circuit Zandvoort that saw his teammate and title rival, Lando Norris, retire in the final laps.

The result was Piastri's seventh win of the season, as the Australian stretched his lead in the Formula One Drivers' Championship.

"I was quick today. But it's impossible to overtake here. I had a good race. I was happy to be running a second and a half, two seconds behind Oscar."

Starting from pole position, Piastri appeared to be in complete control, skillfully managing three Safety Car restarts and fending off Norris, who had been running in a close second.

The race's turning point came with just a few laps to go when Norris' McLaren suffered a mechanical failure.

Smoke began pouring from the back of the car, forcing him to retire, a devastating blow to his championship aspirations

Norris, who had been within striking distance of Piastri in the standings, now finds himself 34 points behind his teammate with nine rounds remaining.

Piastri expressed sympathy for his rival but was quick to acknowledge his own dominant performance.

"It's obviously incredibly unfortunate for Lando," Piastri said after the race.

"But I felt like I was in control of that one and just used the pace when I needed to.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, racing in front of his enthusiastic home crowd, capitalized on Norris' misfortune to finish in second place.

The race also marked a historic moment for Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, who secured a stunning third-place finish.

Hadjar, who started fourth on the grid, put in a measured and impressive drive to earn his maiden Formula 1 podium.

His performance was a huge boost for the team, which celebrated its first podium in four years.

For Ferrari, it was a day to forget. Lewis Hamilton's challenging debut season with the Scuderia continued as he crashed out early in the race at Turn 3 during a light rain shower.

His teammate, Charles Leclerc, also failed to finish after a controversial collision with Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, completing a nightmare day for the Italian team.

Here are the full race results for the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort.

1, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 72 Laps - 1:38:29.849

2, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - +1.271s

3, Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) - +3.233s

4, George Russell (Mercedes) - +5.654s

5, Alex Albon (Williams) - +6.327s

6, Oliver Bearman (Haas) - +11.884s

7, Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - +12.336s

8, Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - +13.567s

9, Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) - +14.241s

10, Esteban Ocon (Haas) - +15.009s

11, Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

12, Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

13, Carlos Sainz (Williams)

14, Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)

15, Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

16, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

17, Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

Did Not Finish (DNF)

Lando Norris (McLaren)

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)