Why McLaren’s Zandvoort set-up allowed Lando Norris to beat Antonelli

Netherlands August 21-23

Lando Norris made it two grand prix wins on the trot with victory for McLaren in a dramatic and ever-twisting-and-turning Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

The race began on a damp track, and was red-flagged after Max Verstappen, running seventh after being forced to swerve onto the grass at the start amid the jockeying for position, lost control at the banked final corner at the end of the first lap and smacked his Red Bull into the barrier. With this being the final grand prix at Zandvoort, it was a dismal outcome for the partisan locals.

Norris had led at the initial getaway, but Kimi Antonelli got the jump on the Briton at the restart, and Mercedes’ points leader held the advantage for much of the race. But Antonelli struggled with tyres on his third stint, and with 20 laps remaining was being hounded by Norris. In turn, they were catching the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton, who appeared to be attempting to complete the race on one pitstop fewer.

Norris did what McLaren predecessor James Hunt insisted in 1977 could not be done, by passing around the outside at the Tarzanbocht. That cleared Antonelli, and half a lap later he was past Hamilton. A virtual safety car soon after triggered pitstops for Antonelli, Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. But Norris stayed out, as did Saturday sprint race winner George Russell, now up to second position in his Mercedes.

Inevitably, the call went out to Russell to concede second position to Antonelli in order for the Italian to have a crack at Norris. After a little resistance, he made way at Tarzan with seven laps remaining, but Norris stayed out front to clinch the honours by 11.5sec. Russell, meanwhile, had to use all his racecraft to stay ahead of Hamilton and the fast-closing Leclerc, who tried a risky move on his Ferrari team-mate at Scheivlak on the final lap.

1st Lando Norris McLaren 1:39:56.180
2nd Max Verstappen Red Bull +15.080sec
3rd Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +18.728sec

Mark Hughes’ Driver of the day

Lando Norris

He’s driving at a level now very few ever reach. The McLaren wasn’t the fastest car over a lap but he put it on pole. It was the fastest car in the race but losing out to Antonelli at the start around a track where passing is very difficult presented a conundrum. He solved it by sheer, pummeling performance, all the while keeping his tyres in perfect shape – and when the opportunity of the pass came, it was marginal but ruthlessly taken. His commitment to the fast corner performance of the McLaren was total as he revelled in his mastery over the car, correcting high-speed snaps like child’s play.

Hungary July 24-26

Lando Norris and McLaren went into the summer break on a high with victory at the Hungaroring – the first of the season for the reigning world champions.

Norris was on pole, but a slip wide at Turn 2 on the opening lap allowed team-mate Oscar Piastri in front. The Australian looked good on medium tyres, but on the hards in the next stint he was struggling, and his early pitstop released Norris to build an advantage.

When Norris made his second pitstop, he emerged in front of Piastri. But a McLaren 1-2 was denied when gearbox failure stranded Piastri after Turn 3. Under the ensuing virtual safety car, Norris pitted for soft tyres, as did the second-placed Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton.

Driver of the day: Lando Norris
It could be no one other than Lando Norris. Yes, the McLaren was dynamite around here but he was sensational in his use of it, the way he’d keyed into the low-grip demands of the track, how he stayed calm even as the team refused to tell Oscar Piastri to let him by, the pace he unleashed on old tyres to overcut his way past and into the lead, the way he then disappeared up the road. It was a masterful display. MPH

1st Lando Norris McLaren 1:39:56.180
2nd Max Verstappen Red Bull +15.080sec
3rd Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +18.728sec

MONTH IN NUMBERS

9
Position for Fernando Alonso in the Dutch GP – Aston Martin’s best of the season

1.99sec
The first sub-2sec pitstop of 2026… Honours to Racing Bulls in Hungary for Arvid Lindblad

5
Top-two finishes for Verstappen in the Dutch GP. But now it’s out of six rather than five

217.2
Fastest speed trap figure in mph, clocked by Pierre Gasly in the grand prix at Zandvoort

6
Points for Liam Lawson for seventh in Dutch GP, replacing injured Hadjar at Red Bull