Verstappen sees off Mercedes challenge to win Dutch GP

Max Verstappen overcame a concerted challenge from Mercedes to win the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix.

The Dutchman headed George Russell at the chequered flag with Charles Leclerc third, while Lewis Hamilton finished fourth in a race he might have otherwise won.

A late strategy call from the Mercedes pit wall sparked fury for Hamilton as Verstappen stormed passed following a late Safety Car to claim the lead and, with it, victory.

An even start saw Verstappen sweep across the road to defend from Leclerc while in Tarzan there was contact between Hamilton and Carlos Sainz in an otherwise clear opening.

A mistake for Kevin Magnussen at the start of Lap 2 saw the Dane bounce through the gravel and brush the barrier on drivers’ left.

He was able to continue though fell to the back of the pack in the process.

By the time DRS was enabled, Verstappen was clear out front with Leclerc 1.5s back in second and another second back to Sainz.

Russell slipped by Lando Norris as they entered Tarzan on Lap 4, the Mercedes moving up to sixth place in the process.

At the front, the race settled down in the opening stint with the only movement happening down the order.

That was largely courtesy of Fernando Alonso, who used DRS to pass Pierre Gasly for 12th on Lap 10, while Magnussen and Nicholas Latifi battled over 19th.

Alonso’s march forward continued soon after with Yuki Tsunoda falling victim on Lap 12.

As that happened, a number of runners headed into the lane for an early opening stop.

Alpine fitted a set of hard tyres onto Alonso’s car when he pitted on Lap 13, most having swapped from softs to mediums.

Of the leaders, Sainz was the first to pit, doing so on Lap 15. It was a 12.7s stop after the left-rear tyre wasn’t ready when he arrived in the box.

Leclerc was in after 17 laps, a smoother stop for the Scuderia for the Monegasque driver.

That prompted Verstappen to pit from the lead next time around, swapping from softs to mediums with a stationary time of 3.4s.

Hamilton moved into the race lead as a result, with Russell second, both were yet to stop.

Verstappen quickly caught Russell and moved by down the Brit on the front straight as they started Lap 28.

Hamilton pitted on Lap 30 to swap his medium tyres for a set of hard compound Pirellis.

Russell was in at the end of Lap 31 to complete the opening round of stops, Verstappen heading the race from Leclerc by 7.8s.

There was a mix of strategies in play, with Hamilton on a one-stopper while those ahead were planning on another stop.

The Mercedes driver quickly reeled in Perez, the Mexican locked up as he defended into Tarzan.

Running wide as a result, Hamilton backed out to avoid contact before mounting another challenge next time by.

The move was completed cleanly, only for Vettel to emerge from the pits and baulk the Mercedes.

It afforded Perez the opportunity to have a look at Hugenholz, but he was unable to make it through.

The delay cost Hamilton three seconds, and looked at the time to have been critical in the battle for the race win with Verstappen ahead.

Russell had a far easier time of it when he put manners on Perez on Lap 39, who soon after.

A set of hard compound tyres were bolted on in what equated to a fact-finding mission for Verstappen.

Yuki Tsunoda threatened to draw the Safety Car when he stopped on track on Lap 45, reporting a loose wheel back to the pit wall.

He was reassured the wheels were fine and he could continue, at which point he limped back around to the pits.

Having received service and sent back out, he was soon told to stop the car, doing so near a gap in the barrier.

The Virtual Safety Car was deployed to cover the recovery, Red Bull taking the opportunity to pit Verstappen for a set of hard tyres.

Hamilton also stopped as he moved onto the medium tyres, Russell following him in for a set of the same.

The green flag was thrown on Lap 50, Verstappen leading Hamilton by 12.6s with 22 laps remaining.

On Lap 55, Valtteri Bottas rolled to a halt on the front straight, the yellow flags being thrown as Sainz put a move on Esteban Ocon.

The stricken Alfa Romeo Sauber drew the Safety Car a lap later.

At Red Bull, Verstappen was hauled in for a set of soft tyres while Mercedes opted to leave both its cars on track. It saw Hamilton reclaim the lead with Russell in second.

With the Safety Car bringing the field through the pit lane, Mercedes swapped Russell onto soft tyres, falling to third as a consequence and robbing Hamilton of his rear-gunner.

At the restart, Verstappen immediately attacked the unprotected race leader and seized top spot into Turn 1. He pulled a nearly two-second advantage within a lap.

Hamilton fell to third at the start of Lap 64, Russell finding a way through after the pair nearly made contact on the front straight.

A lap later, the seven-time champ was forced to defend from Leclerc into Tarzan, the Brit struggling for pace versus those on the soft rubber.

There was no denying the Ferrari on Lap 66, Hamilton powerless in the face of DRS as he dropped out of the podium places.

During the Safety Car for Bottas, there was a near miss in the pits for Sainz for which he was handed a five-second time penalty for an unsafe release.

The Spaniard was slow exiting his pit box, which saw him delay Alonso as a result.

At the chequered flag, Verstappen won by four seconds over Russell, Leclerc in third completing the podium.

Hamilton was fourth, then Perez, Alonso, Norris, Sainz, who’d crossed the line fifth before dropping back after his post-race penalty was applied. Ocon and Lance Stroll completed the top 10.

In the championship, Verstappen now holds a 109 point advantage over Leclerc, who is equal on points but ahead of Perez on countback.

Red Bull remained atop the constructors’ championship, 135 points clear of Ferrari which is now just 30 ahead of Mercedes.

Formula 1 continues with the Italian Grand Prix next weekend.

Results: Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix

Drivers’ Championship

Constructors’ Championship