Verstappen wins Dutch GP to seal 10th win and extend F1 lead
Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen made quick work of a safety car restart to win the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday in front of 100,000 adoring fans in Zandvoort, and make it four straight wins for the first time in his F1 career.
Verstappen’s 10th win matched his tally from last year and the Red Bull driver extended his championship lead to 109 points. With seven races left, a second straight title is looking increasingly likely as his challengers — Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and teammate Sergio Perez in joint second — continue to fall further back.
“Very lovely result, guys,” Verstappen said to his team, before telling his legions of supporters he was “proud to be Dutch.”
His second straight win here — and 30th career win — was even more special because of a gearbox problem in Friday’s first practice session.
“I had to work for it even more, an incredible weekend,” Verstappen said. “We had great pace again.”
George Russell finished second for Mercedes ahead of Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton dropping from first to fourth.
Verstappen looked to be coasting to victory when a safety car came out on
Lap 56 of 72, after the engine cut out on Valtteri Bottas’ Alfa Romeo.
Verstappen changed tires and was behind leader Hamilton’s Mercedes with 12 laps left.
But Hamilton was on a slower medium tire and Verstappen on the quicker softs left the British driver pretty much a sitting duck, much like when he lost the title to Verstappen at last year’s season-ending Abu Dhabi GP.
Hamilton misjudged his restart and Verstappen
overtook him straight away to bring a huge roar from the Orange Army. The Dutchman also took an extra point for the fastest lap.
“I had a good run in the restart, we had a bit more top speed and that helps to attack into Turn 1,”
Verstappen said. “From there onwards we had really good balance in the car again.”
INDYCAR
Scott McLaughlin led a Team Penske rout at Portland (Ore.) International Raceway by scoring
his third victory of the season in a 1-2 finish that moved Will Power one race closer to the IndyCar championship.
McLaughlin led 104 of the 110 laps Sunday to pick up his third victory of the season. He trails only Penske teammate Josef
Newgarden (five) in most series wins, but an inconsistent season has the New Zealander clinging to any title chances.
McLaughlin goes to next Sunday’s season finale at Laguna Seca in California ranked fifth in the standings, 41 points behind Power but still mathematically in the hunt.
“We did exactly what we needed to do this weekend which was win and get maximum points,” McLaughlin said. “We need to keep ourselves in it and we’re a long shot, but we’ve got a shot.”
Power, meanwhile, had a relatively easy drive but never enough to challenge McLaughlin for the win. In settling for second, he takes a 20 point lead into the finale over both Newgarden and six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon.
“We’re in the best position, we’ve got the best shot, we’ll do the best we can,” Power said.