LANDO Norris started the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season the same way he ended the first: by converting pole into victory.
The reigning world champion survived a chaotic final Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, beating Mercedes duo Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in a race that featured an early red flag, Max Verstappen's heartbreaking home-race exit and a late strategic battle for the podium.
READ: Lando Norris spoils Russell's Dutch GP sweep bid with pole
Norris' victory was his second of the season, making it two in a row, after also winning from pole in Hungary before the summer break.
"We needed to put on a bit of a show for everyone for the final race here, so I made it tough for myself today but [it was] a good race, well-fought,” Norris said.
“Probably one of my better wins. We had to fight for it well but the pace was strong. We managed things incredibly well today so [I'm] over the moon, very happy."
Chaos in Zandvoort
The drama came almost immediately.
Norris led away from pole but Antonelli jumped Russell for second through the opening corners. Then, on the following lap, Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull and crashed into the barriers, ending his final home Grand Prix and bringing out the red flags.
The Dutchman was unharmed, but the incident set the tone for a race filled with close calls. Gabriel Bortoleto spun 360 degrees but somehow avoided contact, while the field narrowly escaped further chaos during the restart.
Antonelli briefly took control after the restart, but Norris stayed within striking distance as the leading drivers split their strategies.
The front-runners initially started on mediums, with several cars opting for softs and a handful choosing hards. Russell was among the first of the leaders to pit for hard tyres, while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc delayed his stop after initially being called in.
Norris eventually stopped on Lap 48, dropping behind Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton before quickly recovering. Fresh tyres allowed him to close the gap, and he regained the lead with 18 laps remaining.
A late Virtual Safety Car then threatened to undo Norris' advantage. Antonelli pitted for softs and dropped behind Russell, while Ferrari also bolted on fresh rubber, prompting Mercedes to order Russell to let his teammate through on Lap 65. Antonelli moved into second, leaving Russell to fend off Hamilton and Leclerc in a frantic closing battle.
Norris, however, had enough in hand to hold on and claim the final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
Antonelli finished second, with Russell completing the podium. Hamilton and Charles Leclerc followed in fourth and fifth, respectively, while Oscar Piastri took sixth. Liam Lawson brought Red Bull home seventh, followed by Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly to round out the top 10.
Antonelli remains firmly in control with 243 points, while Russell and Hamilton are tied on 183, with Russell holding second on the tiebreaker. Norris moved up to fourth with 159, ahead of Leclerc's 155.
The reigning champion is now 83 points behind Antonelli with the season entering its final stretch.
But Antonelli's sizeable lead comes with a major complication at the next round as he is set to take at least a 10-place grid penalty at his home race in Monza after Mercedes opted to install a new power unit, exceeding his allocation.
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