If you happen to be a fan of Ferrari or Lando Norris, may I suggest you add Something in the Orange by Zach Bryan to your playlist? As a Norris fan, this slow, moody, melodramatic song perfectly encapsulated my feelings following the Formula 1 2025 Dutch Grand Prix at Circuit Zandvoort. Even if you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t belong to the Tifosi (Ferrari fan club) or own a neon green shirt for number four (Lando Norris), the song title is a fun callback to a race weekend to remember– one boasting grandstands packed with the Dutch Oranje Army, cheering on their home driver: Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing.
The Dutch Grand Prix was the first race weekend following the F1 summer break, and wow, did it prove to be worth the wait. After an exciting Saturday qualifying session, Oscar Piastri would start the race from pole (first place), with his McLaren teammate Lando Norris settling for second. Home favorite Max Verstappen took third, with Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar starting from fourth after having his best F1 career qualifying.
The drama started early on race day. Prior to the race start, Lewis Hamilton was put under investigation for not reducing his speed as required with double waved yellow flags. These flags were a precaution specifically put into place at Circuit Zandvoort to protect both drivers and racing support staff in an area of the track where high speeds could cause safety concerns. The stewards elected to rule on Hamilton’s penalty after the race, initially frustrating fans (though it would soon cease to matter). Hamilton started the race from seventh, behind his teammate Charles Leclerc.
With rain looming, it was lights out and away we went. Piastri got off the starting line well, allowing him to cut off Norris and prevent him from taking an early lead. In the meantime, Verstappen was able to take the racing line, and with the speed and positioning that this ideal path on the track allows, Verstappen passed Norris to move into second place. Despite a nail-biting moment where Verstappen’s rear tires lost grip on the track, causing the back of his car to swing wildly (fishtail), the order after the first lap was Piastri, Verstappen, Norris.
This lasted until lap nine of seventy-two, as Norris took the outside line to overtake Verstappen. It was a smooth, clean overtake, especially considering past battles between the two drivers, which have resulted in both damage and retirement from races. Yet, there was trepidation in the air as reports of rain drops and debris on the track from Gabriel Bortiletto’s damaged front wing echoed over the radio.
The rain wouldn’t start until lap 20, which also brought an onslaught of pit stops from the middle of the pack. Charles Leclerc was the first of the frontrunners to pit. While cameras focused on capturing his lap 23 pitstop, an abrupt cut was made to a shocking image— the red Ferrari of his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, in the barriers. Luckily, Hamilton came over the radio and confirmed he had not been hurt, but the extensive front wing damage forced him into the first DNF (did not finish) of his first season at Ferrari. After the race, this rare mistake from the veteran driver was attributed to light rain making the track paint slippery.
Hamilton’s crash allowed for a combination of elements that had F1 fans leaning in closer to their TV screens— rain, the ultimate equalizer, and a timely safety car. As the safety car forced drivers to slow their speeds, allowing marshals time to clear debris from the track, teams rushed to pit their drivers.
McLaren seized the moment by pitting both Piastri and Norris, a strategic move known as double stacking. Piastri got away well, but Norris had a lengthy pitstop due to a lack of coordination between the front jack mechanic and green light indicator. The driver attempted to pull away before the front jack was removed, but after the race, it was found that the green light went off too early. Norris’ reaction had been correct. Luckily, the extra time did not hurt him, due to the safety car and obligatory reduced speeds.
The safety car came in on lap 27. However, by lap 31, a virtual safety car (VSC, requiring drivers to slow down, with no physical safety car out on track) was reinstated due to debris caused by a collision between backrunners Carlos Sainz of Williams Racing and Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls.
The VSC lasted only one lap, and Charles Leclerc took advantage of the restart by initiating a masterful, wheel-to-wheel overtake against Mercedes driver George Russell. This maneuver will likely be played in his highlight reel for years to come. While it seemed like a miracle that the cars didn’t collide, both drivers were disgruntled following the move. Russell claimed that Leclerc had left the track and gained an advantage, with Leclerc arguing that Russell had left him no space, essentially forcing him into the move.
As is typical of F1 races, the course seemed to settle after the Leclerc-Russell battle, with many drivers within drag reduction system (DRS) range of each other. DRS can be activated by drivers when they are less than one second behind the car in front of them. While it is intended to allow overtakes by changing aerodynamics of the car and increasing maximum speeds, throughout the middle of this race, it seemed to only cause drivers to be stuck close behind each other. Lap 43 brought news that the stewards would investigate Leclerc and Russell after the race, though this would also (spoiler alert!) unfortunately cease to matter due to the events of lap 53.
The timing of Leclerc’s exit from the pit lane put Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli hot on his trail. As they entered a turn nearly parallel to each other, Antonelli hit Leclerc, causing him to spin out of control into the barriers. Leclerc’s right rear tire was lost completely, forcing him to retire and making it a truly dismal weekend for Ferrari. Antonelli wasn’t left unscathed, and went into the pits due to a punctured tire.
The third (third!) safety car emerged, leading to a barrage of pit stops as Antonelli received a ten-second penalty. After the restart, a series of battles ensued throughout the track. Norris was gaining on Piastri, raising heart rates as he creeped into DRS range. Antonelli got another penalty for speeding in the pit lane, but all focus was on what seemed like an imminent battle between the McLaren drivers.
All hopes of a McLaren one-two were destroyed by the crackle of Norris’ voice over the radio. He sounded the alarm for smoke in the cockpit, and within seconds, he was slowing down and being passed by other drivers. The official report was an oil leak. Norris was forced to retire from the race a mere seven laps away from the checkered flag, a heartbreaking blow to his fight for the world championship.
Mercifully, there was no further action before the race came to an end. Oscar Piastri completed his first career Grand Slam by starting from pole position, leading all laps, getting fastest lap, and winning the race. He was joined on the podium by Max Verstappen, in second, and rookie Isack Hadjar, in third, who was Driver of the Day for his first podium and career best finish. The remaining point scorers were George Russell, Alex Albon, Ollie Bearman, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda, and Esteban Ocon.
If the Dutch Grand Prix was anything to go by, we’re in for an exciting second half of the season, and I know I’ll be tuning in. F1 picks up again at the Temple of Speed in Monza, Italy starting September 5th. All eyes will be on Lando Norris as he continues his fight against teammate Oscar Piastri for the Driver’s Championship. Ferrari claims this as its home race, so here’s hoping that they’ll find better luck on Italian soil.
