Lando Norris Claims Dominant Second Victory of 2024 in Zandvoort

Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren celebrates with second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing in parc ferme after the F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on August 25, 2024 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Joe Portlock | Getty Images)

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — After the month-long summer break following the Belgium Grand Prix, Lando Norris finished 22 seconds ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen, this time at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on August 25.

Securing his second victory of the season and his career, Norris capitalized on his pole position and made it into a win at the home track of Verstappen, who won every race since Zandvoort came back to the Formula 1 schedule in 2021. 

At lights out, the Brit was unable to get off the line as quickly as Verstappen due to wheel spin, but Norris and the McLaren had great pace, eventually closing the gap to Verstappen. On Lap 18, Norris was able to gain the position back from Verstappen where he, with the help of DRS, overtook the Red Bull through the frontstretch and first corner.

Lando Norris of Great Britain in the (4) McLaren MCL38 Mercedes overtakes Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 during the F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on August 25, 2024 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan | Getty Images)

“Obviously, didn’t start in the most optimistic way, but the pace was unbelievable from the beginning and I could go with Max quite happily at the start,” said Norris in the post-race press conference. “I just didn’t expect our pace to be probably as good as what it was today, which is a good thing.”

After passing Verstappen on Lap 18, McLaren did not slow down, increasing the gap between the two to 22 seconds, which is how Verstappen led most of the 2023 season. With this pace, Norris was also able to get the DHL Fastest Lap. 

“I think from quite early on, actually, from probably lap five, six, seven, I expected Max to start pushing and get a bit of a gap, and he never did,” said Norris in a track interview with Giedo van der Garde. “So from that point, I knew we were in with a good fight.”

Verstappen had a different perspective on the race, however. He talked about his struggles in a post-race press conference in which he said that he was looking after his tyres and trying his best after the car stopped responding.

“So then Lando got quite close the first time, like he said, he was close, but not close enough. And then the next lap, there was nothing that I could do,” said Verstappen at the press conference.

Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL38 Mercedes leads Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 during the F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands at Circuit Zandvoort on August 25, 2024 in Zandvoort, Netherlands. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Verstappen continued to talk about how the balance of the car was off and these are things that the team needs to look at going forward.

The final spot on the podium went to the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, who struggled at the start of the weekend. However, Leclerc was able to hold off Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren to land on the final step of the podium.

“I think as much as we analyze every bad surprise we have during a season, we also need to understand when we do something good,” said Leclerc. “For now, I don’t think as a team, we have the explanation. So it’s a great result.”

Ferrari goes home next for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 1, where Leclerc won in 2019, breaking Ferrari’s dry spell at the track since 2010.

After the results of the Dutch Grand Prix, McLaren continues to close in on the top of the Constructors’ Championship, now only 30 points behind Red Bull Racing. As for driver standings, Norris falls 70 points behind the leader Verstappen while Leclerc remains in third.