Despite surrendering the lead to Max Verstappen at the start, Lando Norris didn’t just reclaim it—he did so with a commanding performance, cruising to the checkered flag with a remarkable 22-second lead and securing the extra championship point for the fastest lap of the race. In doing so, he reduced the points gap between himself and Verstappen, tightening the championship battle. Max Verstappen finished in second place, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium in third.
The honorary Dutchman, Lando Norris, has claimed his second Grand Prix victory, this time in Zandvoort. The young British driver has won over the fans here, despite the ever-popular Max Verstappen being the clear national hero. While the stands were not quite in the McLaren Papaya colours, Dutch orange is still orange, and Lando Norris, has many times thanked his fans for the overwhelming support here at Zandvoort.
This victory came on the back of Norris’s fourth pole position in his Formula One career. While he once again lost the lead early on, as with his previous pole starts, this time he turned the tables by confidently overtaking Max Verstappen on his home soil on lap 18. Though McLaren has had its share of stumbles under pressure—like the heart-wrenching near-miss for Lando Norris in Russia 2021—this time, both driver and team embodied the essence of cool, calm, and collected. Together, they secured the win with unwavering confidence.
Impressively, Lando Norris remains the only driver on the 2024 grid to have finished every lap in the points. Since his rookie season in 2019, Norris has earned the respect of the entire paddock and the wider racing world, now recognized as one of the strongest drivers on the grid—and deservedly so. In previous years, there was a prevailing sentiment that the Woking-based McLaren team was holding this young talent back, with many believing that in a Red Bull, Norris could be winning more regularly. It’s no secret that the door at Red Bull would be wide open if he decided to jump ship. However, Lando Norris has stayed unwaveringly loyal to the team that brought him into the sport—and it just might be paying off.
The Red Bull dominance feels like a distant memory, even though it was only at the beginning of this season that the team appeared to be cruising towards another double championship. As we enter the second half of the season, only 30 points now separate Red Bull from McLaren in the Constructors' Championship with the momentum firmly on the side of the Papaya team from Woking.
Norris’ dominant performance, bolstered by McLaren's latest upgrade package, has reignited hopes that the Brit still could challenge Max Verstappen for the championship. As the season progresses, Norris's impressive drive and the momentum of the McLaren team suggest that a thrilling title battle may still be on the horizon.
Both Ferrari drivers had a strong race this weekend. Charles Leclerc added another trophy to the Scuderia’s overflowing cabinet, while his teammate Carlos Sainz made an impressive climb from 10th to 5th, finishing ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Lando Norris came on the radio after crossing the finish line with a cheeky message, using Verstappen's signature phrase, 'Simply Lovely'—a fitting tribute to his victory after defeating Max here in Zandvoort.
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