Norris’ Dutch GP misfortune hands Piastri championship advantage

Lando Norris’ title hopes suffered a cruel twist at the Dutch Grand Prix, as a late power failure robbed him of a potential podium and handed his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, the upper hand in their championship duel.

The Brit looked every bit a match — if not quicker — than Piastri, only for his race to end in bitter disappointment with eight laps remaining due to a mechanical failure.

Instead of the wheel-to-wheel showdown many had anticipated, Norris was left to watch from the sidelines while Piastri cruised to his seventh win of the season.

The contrast could not have been starker: one McLaren celebrating another dominant triumph, the other left empty-handed and facing fresh pressure with Monza up next.

Despite McLaren’s crushing form in the constructors’ standings, the fight for the drivers’ title is far less straightforward. With nine races still on the calendar, Norris’ misfortune has opened the door for Piastri to seize control, injecting an extra layer of tension into what had already been a finely balanced battle between the two.

Here are the main talking points from the Dutch Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri remains cool and calm as he collects championship lead

With a commanding 34-point advantage, Piastri continues to look every bit the title favourite. The Australian has hardly put a foot wrong this season, and his ability to deliver under pressure has placed him firmly in the driver’s seat for a maiden Formula 1 crown.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the championship will almost certainly stay within McLaren, with the deciding factor likely being which driver makes the fewest mistakes.

Piastri has displayed remarkable composure and consistency. At Zandvoort, he trailed teammate Norris in practice, but when it mattered in qualifying and the race, he once again found the extra gear to rise above the challenge. His seventh win of the season underlined why he is now the man to beat.

Isack Hadjar growing from strength to strength

At just 20 years old, Isack Hadjar continues to establish himself as one of Formula 1’s rising stars. His third-place finish at Zandvoort made him the youngest podium finisher of the weekend. Benefiting from Norris’ late retirement, Hadjar’s result was no fluke — he qualified fourth and held off early challenges from Leclerc and Russell to secure his maiden F1 podium.

Since crashing out on his debut, Hadjar has shown steady improvement and consistency, fuelling speculation he could eventually join Max Verstappen at Red Bull, as Yuki Tsunoda has joined a long list of drivers struggling to come to terms with the RB21.

A weekend to forget for Ferrari

For Ferrari, the Dutch GP was another frustrating chapter in a season marked by inconsistency. The Scuderia entered the race with optimism after a solid qualifying session, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton starting sixth and seventh with high hopes for strong points finishes. But the race quickly fell apart.

Both drivers crashed out, failing to reach the chequered flag and costing Ferrari valuable points. Their second-place hold in the constructors’ championship is now at risk, with Mercedes closing the gap to just 12 points ahead of their home race in Monza.