Norris\u2019s title chances took a heavy blow when his McLaren broke down after smoke poured from the back of the car.<\/p>\n
Published On 31 Aug 202531 Aug 2025<\/p>\n
Oscar Piastri has won the Dutch Grand Prix to take a mighty 34-point lead in the Formula One championship as McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris saw his hopes go up in smoke.<\/p>\n
On a day of drama, with both Ferrari drivers crashing out in separate incidents, McLaren had been heading for a record-equalling fifth successive one-two win until Norris suffered late despair on the track on Sunday.<\/p>\n
After saying he could smell smoke in the cockpit, Norris slowed and retired from second place on lap 65 of 72 with visible evidence coming out of the back of his stricken car.<\/p>\n
Norris was chasing Piastri late in the race when the British driver reported a \u201cfunny\u201d smell in his cockpit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019m on fire or not,\u201d Norris said. Smoke poured from the back of the car, and he had to stop.<\/p>\n
Norris ended the race standing behind a barrier at the side of the track with race marshals and his broken-down car.<\/p>\n
Norris\u2019s race engineer tried to console him by telling him how good his pace had been.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Norris responded.<\/p>\n
Piastri\u2019s lead over second-placed Norris increased from nine points to 34 with nine races remaining.<\/p>\n
The Australian\u2019s win required him to manage three safety car restarts, holding off Norris twice and then keeping rival Max Verstappen behind him after Norris\u2019s breakdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cNicely done, everybody, nicely done,\u201d Piastri told the team. \u201cObviously, sorry for Lando for what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
Home hero Verstappen finished second for Red Bull, with Racing Bulls\u2019 French rookie Isack Hadjar taking his first Formula One podium in third place and punching the air in delight.<\/p>\n
Hadjar was lifted off the ground and slapped on the back by a crowd of jubilant team members as they celebrated the squad\u2019s first podium result in four years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was always the target since I was a kid, so this is the first step,\u201d Hadjar said.<\/p>\n
Both Ferraris ended up in the barriers in the same spot. Lewis Hamilton hit the wall during a rain shower in another disappointing race for Ferrari.<\/p>\n
Teammate Charles Leclerc\u2019s race ended when he was hit by Mercedes\u2019s Andrea Kimi Antonelli and spun into the same barrier.<\/p>\n
Confirmation of our top 10 at Zandvoort \ud83d\udc40#F1<\/a> #DutchGP<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/81hYFSRLWS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n