LEWIS NEEDS A BIT OF MAX HEAD ROOM
MAX VERSTAPPEN knocked Lewis Hamilton off the top of the standings after a superb victory at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s 17th career triumph sparked wild celebrations among the 70,000-strong Zandvoort crowd at his home race.
Hamilton was second with Valtteri Bottas third and the Brit trails Verstappen by three points in the title race.
Verstappen said: “The expectations were high coming into the weekend and it is not easy to fulfil that, so I am so happy to win here and to take the lead of the championship.
“It is definitely a very good day.
“Mercedes tried to make it very difficult for us.”
Hamilton was also forced to chase the fastest lap on the final circuit after team-mate Bottas defied an order not to beat his previous best time.
Verstappen’s army of fans created one of the best Formula One atmospheres of recent times on the sport’s return to Holland after 36 years.
Their star man did not disappoint with a commanding win from pole. The Dutchman roared away from his starting marks to keep Hamilton at bay in the 262-metre charge to the opening Tarzanbocht and by the end of the opening lap he was already 1.7 seconds clear of his rival.
Hamilton spent the race bemoaning his team’s strategy as Red Bull covered their every move on early pit stops.
He said: “We called our bluff too soon. I had so much life left in that tyre.
“I don’t know why we rushed it.
“I was flat out, I pushed as hard as I could. But they were too quick for us.”