McLaren returns with a point to prove

McLaren returns with a point to prove

The Dutch Grand Prix is a favourite on the F1 calendar. From the passionate fans supporting the Dutch champion to a race track that takes inspiration from a theme park ride with its banking turns and unorthodox layout, it is an F1 weekend unlike any other. Given that Max Verstappen has achieved three consecutive first-place finishes on his home ground, we anticipated his performance this weekend to be stellar. But the McLaren team had other ideas, and after the three-week break, Lando Norris seemed almost untouchable. 

The weekend's competition kicked off with a quick and dry qualifying session, which allowed Red Bull to set the tone with good pace from Perez early on in Q1. Q2 brought an intriguing turn, with Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz failing to make it inside the top ten as the McLarens displayed their renewed capability, stacking the front of the grid for the following day of racing, with Lando Norris sealing pole position, followed by Max Verstappen in second, Oscar Piastri in third, Sergio Perez in fourth, and George Russell in fifth. 

Race day provided excellent conditions for the drivers, with the local hero, Verstappen, eager to get the jump on Norris. As the lights went out, he did just that, beating Norris into the first corner, which was met with roaring approval from the crowd. Perez wasn’t as fortunate as his teammate and fell two positions, while Russell seized the opportunity and secured third through the first turn. 

The lead group of Verstappen, Norris, and Russell gained ground quickly, and during the first lap, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri engaged in an entertaining battle of overtaking attempts. Piastri kept the Ferrari at bay as the first of many laps was completed. Meanwhile, Hamilton expressed his determination to make up for the places he had lost in qualifying by swiftly overtaking Tsunoda and beginning his charge on Nico Hulkenberg. 

Sainz too fought his way up the leaderboard after his not-so-impressive qualifying performance the day prior, and on lap 11, a bold dive down the inside of turn one offered him an opportunity at the seventh position. Pierre Gasly, though, wasn’t too impressed with the attempt at his position and kept the throttle buried on the corner exit. This resulted in a tight dash for the second turn, where Sainz maintained the inside line and secured the position. 

Hamilton continued to improve his standing, overtaking both Astons and bringing him into the top ten on lap 17. Meanwhile, Lando's progressive gain on Verstappen brought him into striking distance, and as lap 17 was drawing to a close, with the assistance of DRS, Norris dove for the inside line down the start-finish straight and took Verstappen in the first corner for the GP lead.

It was clear that Lando had the better grip heading towards the first round of pit stops, as Verstappen offered little resistance against the McLaren. It was around lap 25 that the first round of stops commenced, and the harder compound was the popular choice.

Piastri had seen enough of the back of Russell's car, and the fresh rubber gave the youngster the confidence to overtake around the outside of turn one, immediately pulling away from the lead Mercedes driver and beginning his pursuit of Leclerc. 

Shortly after, Alex Albon, Kevin Magnussen, Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, and Fernando Alonso set a textbook example of close racing, leading three abreast with two close behind down the main straight as a challenge for the bigger pucks arose on the entry to turn one. Gasly came out ahead of the pack in 10th, with Albon and Alonso in hot pursuit. Albon expressed concern about the potential danger of the battle, and Magnussen dropped four positions to become the only driver without DRS down the straight.

On lap 47, Piastris's hunt for Leclerc intensified while Sainz overtook Perez with a late braking manoeuvre into turn one. Several laps later, racing remained intense further back, with Gasly testing his grip around the outside of Hulkenberg on lap 61, bringing the Alpine into 9th.

Hulkenberg was under pressure due to his Haas's lack of grip, which was demonstrated in another outside overtake by Alonso's pursuing Aston. All the while, Lando was setting constantly rapid lap times, pulling further away from the pursuing group. 

The remaining eight laps concluded with little drama as the young McLaren driver brought home his second win, snatching it from the crowd favourite with a 22-second lead. 

It was a race to remember for the McLaren team, one that will likely worry the Red Bull crew. Lando was untouchable once in the lead. It was a memorable weekend, and the racing again proved to be an exceptional viewing experience. I'm excited to see if McLaren will maintain this pace going forward and the team will definitely be on their competitors' radar ahead of the 2025 season.

You can find the results from this weekend's actions here on Formula 1's official website.

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