Reigning world champion Lando Norris of McLaren won the final Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix in overwhelming fashion at Zandvoort on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
The British driver crossed the finish line 11.54 seconds ahead of World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who secured second place for Mercedes. The victory completed a memorable hat-trick for McLaren at the Dutch Grand Prix, following teammate Oscar Piastri's triumph last year and Norris's own victory the previous season.
Formula 1 returned to action at Circuit Zandvoort following its traditional midseason summer break of several weeks. Norris had also won the Hungarian Grand Prix immediately before the break, allowing him to resume his title challenge in the same winning form.
After the race, Norris said it was a good, hard-fought race and described it as probably one of his best victories. He explained that the team had to fight hard for the win, but noted that their pace was very strong. The 26-year-old added that he managed things incredibly well and was delighted to win the final race held at Zandvoort.
Verstappen crash on opening lap
A heavy rainstorm just an hour before the start forced drivers to navigate a drying track, creating treacherous conditions at the start of the race. On the final corner of the opening lap, home favorite Max Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull, crashed into the wall, and spun across the track out of control.
The accident forced several behind him to steer clear to avoid a collision. To the relief of tens of thousands of Dutch fans dressed in orange, Verstappen immediately reported to his team that he was uninjured and climbed out of the car on his own feet.
The race was halted for more than 30 minutes following the crash. Red Bull Racing, based in Milton Keynes, and the rest of the field prepared for a standing restart once the track was cleared.
Race restart and Norris overtake
When the race resumed, Antonelli reacted quicker than Norris off the line and passed the Briton at the first corner. The young Italian driver maintained the lead until lap 54, when Norris produced a spectacular overtaking move to reclaim first place.
From that moment, Norris pulled away to secure a comfortable victory at the checkered flag. Behind him, Antonelli struggled with car balance in the closing stages.
Antonelli, who turns 20 next week, said after the race that he simply had no feeling with the car, which was sliding sideways overall. Despite his second-place finish, Antonelli retains a 59-point lead in the drivers' standings over rivals Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. However, the Mercedes driver will face a 10-place grid penalty at the upcoming race in Monza after his team was forced to replace his engine.
Podium battle and Dutch Grand Prix farewell
Mercedes driver George Russell completed the podium in third place after holding off a fierce challenge from Hamilton in the closing laps of the race. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished fifth in the second Ferrari entry, while McLaren's Oscar Piastri crossed the line in sixth place.
The race marked the final edition of the Dutch Grand Prix after event promoters decided to cancel the event this year for financial reasons. Drivers and fans alike have expressed regret at the loss of the historic Zandvoort circuit, whose steep banked curves provided a unique test on the Formula 1 calendar.
