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Laurence Edmondson
ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — A retirement from the Dutch Grand Prix dealt Lando Norris‘ championship hopes a critical blow as McLaren teammate Oscar Plastri cruised to victory at Zandvoort.
Norris was in second place when a suspected oil leak caused his car to stop at the side of the track with seven laps remaining.
Although Piastri, who led from the start, appeared to have the race under control, Norris had spent 30 laps within a couple of seconds of his teammate while attempting to pile on the pressure following two safety car restarts.
The end of his race was signaled by smoke in his cockpit as he started Lap 65, which led to the car stopping halfway around the lap.
Norris cut a dejected figure after climbing out of his car, slumping down on one of Zandvoort’s trackside sand dunes as the field streamed past behind a third safety car of the race.
The reliability issue could inflict a double blow on Norris if damage to his engine means he has to take a grid penalty later in the season for exceeding his quota of power unit components.
Piastri’s seventh victory of the season means he now has a 34-point lead over Norris in the standings with nine races remaining. The gap between the two drivers is the biggest it has been at any point this season.
“It feels good, obviously,” Piastri said afterward. “I controlled the race when I needed to, and obviously it was incredibly unfortunate for Lando at the end.
“But I felt like I was in control of that one and just used the pace when I needed to. That was a bit of a different race to 12 months ago, so very happy with all the work we’ve done to try to improve around here, and very satisfied to come out on top.”
Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix was eventful throughout and saw Isack Hadjarwho started in fourth place, secure the first podium of his career behind Max Verstappen in second place.
“It wasn’t easy,” Verstappen said. “Unfortunately we didn’t have the pace of the McLarens. We got a bit lucky with one retiring.
“In general, to be on the podium here is a great result. To be in second, I think is a really good achievement for us.”
Hadjar’s best result prior to Zandvoort had been sixth place at Monaco in a rookie season full of impressive results for Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls. The Frenchman said the result “feels a bit unreal.
“Unfortunately for Lando we took advantage of his [DNF] but we did no mistakes,” he said. “The car was on rails the whole weekend and I’m really happy about myself because I maximized what I had, made no mistakes and brought home the podium. So I’m so happy for my guys.
“[Being on the podium] was always the target since I was a kid. So this is my first step, my first podium, and hopefully much more [to come].”
George Russell took fourth place ahead of Alex Albon, who moved from 15th on the grid to fifth at the finish, and Oliver Bearmanwho secured sixth despite starting from the pit lane.
Rain threatened to impact the course of the race early on, but only ever developed into a light shower.
Safety periods had a much bigger impact on mixing up the order, and the first of three was caused by Lewis Hamilton spinning out of seventh place on Lap 23.
The seven-time champion took too much speed into the banked Turn 3 and lost the rear of his car on the painted strip of advertising lining the outside of the corner.
The damage to the front of the car was extensive, forcing Hamilton out of the race on the spot, and resulting in a safety car period while the Ferrari was cleared away.
Teammate Charles Leclerc also failed to see the finish after a collision with Mercedes rookie Andrea Some Antonelli at Turn 3 on Lap 53.
Leclerc had just emerged from the pits on fresh tires to fend off Antonelli’s pit stop the lap before, when the 19-year-old lunged to the inside of the banked Turn 3.
Unable to get the car slowed in time, Antonelli crashed into the side of Leclerc and took the Ferrari out of the race on the spot.
A second safety car followed, resetting the race at the front and presenting Norris with a chance to attack Piastri.
He came closest on Lap 60 with the help of the DRS overtaking aid along the pit straight, but just five laps later his car stopped with smoke pouring from the rear.
The next round of the season will take place at Monza next weekend.
