Max Verstappen Claims Dramatic Dutch Home Win

• World champion and runaway series leader Max Verstappen.
• Made the most of his unerring speed and reliability.
• Victory for Red Bull in his home Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday.

Max Verstappen took full advantage of his team’s cool decision-making, as Mercedes and Ferrari appeared to make flustered choices.

In the heat of the moment, to come home 4.071 seconds ahead of George Russell of Mercedes and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

For several laps in the closing stages, it appeared that seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton might win until a late Safety Car resulted in him being left out on worn tyres by Mercedes, as Max Verstappen and Russell took softs.

Exposed and unable to defend his position Hamilton was furious, but the sea of 105,000 ebullient fans packed into the Zandvoort circuit revelled in their hero’s good fortune as he passed Hamilton and pulled clear to claim a second successive Dutch triumph, a fourth consecutive win and his 10th of the season.

“It wasn’t straightforward, but we pushed and we made the right calls,” said Max Verstappen.

“It’s worked out really well and it’s always special to win at home.”

As the forbidden flares and fireworks were lit and smoke spilled across the track, Hamilton came home fourth ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso.

In a race punctuated by interruptions and influenced heavily by strategic decisions related to tyre-wear, it was Red Bull’s exploitation of their opportunity that gave Verstappen his 30th career win while, for Hamilton, it seemed defeat had been clutched from the jaws of victory.

Verstappen now has 309 points ahead of Leclerc and Perez on 201 in the championship, making it possible for him to take his second drivers’ crown in Singapore on October 2.

Hamilton anguish

Verstappen who cut opposite his seventeenth shaft position to lead into the main corner followed by Leclerc and Sainz, who opposed a swelling charge from Hamilton.

 On the tight track, with such a short lap, the activity was extreme. Leclerc pushed to keep in contact with the Flying Dutchman, however by lap 12 was 1.7 seconds hapless with Sainz a further eight seconds down, in front of Hamilton.

 Sainz came in after 15 laps, taking mediums, alongside Perez.

 “Oh my God,” said Sainz as his crew searched for an errant left-rear tyre. His stop cost 12 seconds and left Hamilton third ahead of Russell. Sainz re-joined 11th.

 Leclerc’s stop was a much smoother issue for Ferrari and he was trailed by Verstappen. Hamilton started to lead the pack in front of Russell, the ‘silver bolts’ taking advantage of their decision of medium tires.

 Verstappen showed pace in quest for the Mercedes’ pair, running one and two interestingly this year, as the Alpines likewise dazzled.

 To the enjoyment of the ‘orange armed force’, Verstappen cleared round Russell at Turn One on lap 27 to pursue old enemy Hamilton, who pitted toward the finish of lap 29 for ‘hards’, re-joining fifth.

 Russell pitted after 31 laps for ‘hards’ and yet again joined fifth behind Hamilton.

 The Mercedes men exchanged quickest laps before Hamilton cleared past Perez at the second endeavor on the banked last corner.

 Once more, sainz and Leclerc pitted, for hards, the Monegasque re-joining fourth behind Russell before an unusual intercession when Yuki Tsunoda, after two stops, resigned his Alpha Tauri.

 A Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was conveyed setting off one more impulsive of stops.

 Verstappen took hards, both Mercedes took mediums and the hustling continued on lap 50.

 “Let’s go guys,” said Hamilton praising his team’s double-stacked stop before realising he was second, 12 seconds behind the champion.

“That VSC has stuffed us,” said Hamilton, knowing that instead of Verstappen having to pass him, it was he who had to pass the Dutchman with 18 laps to go.

 A full Safety Car (SC) was then conveyed when Valtteri Bottas left his Alfa Romeo at the Turn One passage, inciting Red Bull to pit Verstappen again for softs, a move that put the Mercedes first and second once more.

 Hustling continued on lap 60, with 12 to go, and on his ragged, cold medium tires Hamilton had no guard as Verstappen, taking a tow, traveled past to lead once more.

 Hamilton vented his justifiable misery in a swearword loaded group radio message at seeing an extraordinary opportunity to win grabbed away.

 “Why am I the only guy not out here on softs?” he asked.

Russell flew by a lap later and Leclerc too, on lap 66, leaving him fourth as the party started.

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