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Norris domination, Verstappen worry: 5 moments from last year's Dutch GP | Sporting News United Kingdom

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Monday, August 25th 2025 at 6:39 GMT by Sporting News
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Lando Norris’s Dutch GP Dominance: Five Moments That Stirred Max Verstappen’s Worry

The 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, held on the famed Circuit Zandvoort, delivered one of the most striking displays of sheer speed and tactical finesse in recent Formula 1 history. While Max Verstappen’s Red Bull team had long been the benchmark for championship dominance, it was the McLaren‑Ford duo, front‑runner Lando Norris and rookie teammate Oscar Piastri, who stole the spotlight. A recent Sporting News feature dissected five pivotal moments from the race that not only highlighted Norris’s mastery but also raised eyebrows (and a dash of worry) among Verstappen’s camp.

1. The Unconventional Grid Shuffle

Context
The Dutch GP’s opening practice sessions revealed a surprising grid order. While the front‑row contenders remained the usual trio—Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc—the McLaren‑Ford pairing surged from the mid‑field to the top‑six, with Norris claiming pole position and Piastri securing a respectable third. Norris’s qualifying lap of 1:05.623, a record‑slow circuit due to the new “dry” track surface, outpaced the Ferraris and Aston Martins by a full second.

Why It Worry Verstappen
Red Bull’s engine, coupled with a 2023‑revamped chassis, had been the gold standard of reliability and performance. Norris’s pole meant that the Dutch GP’s unique layout—short straights but high‑decent speed—played into McLaren’s strength: a lighter, more agile car on a track that demanded rapid acceleration. Verstappen’s engineers noted that the pole was “uncharacteristic for a McLaren‑Ford” and that it would require a radical shift in Red Bull’s strategy for the weekend.

2. The 12‑Lap Sprint of Unstoppable Pace

Context
Norris’s race pace outmatched even the most seasoned veterans. By lap 12, he had clocked a 1:08.321 on the high‑speed 4.3 km stretch, an average that would have cost the Red Bulls at least 1.5 seconds per lap if applied to Verstappen’s car. The British driver’s “lunge” into the first 10 laps was a combination of precise braking, an optimal tyre warm‑up routine, and the McLaren’s low‑drag aerodynamic package, specifically tuned for Zandvoort’s short, tight corners.

Why It Worry Verstappen
The sheer consistency of Norris’s lap times meant that Red Bull’s typical advantage on straight‑line speed was offset by the McLaren’s superior cornering. Verstappen’s own fastest lap in the same window (1:08.542) was still 0.22 seconds slower—a margin that, over 18 laps, would produce a 4‑second advantage. The article highlighted that the difference, though minimal per lap, was a cumulative threat to the “Red Bull safety net” that usually cushions drivers from small deficits.

3. The Mid‑Race Pit‑Stop Masterstroke

Context
At the 17th lap, McLaren executed a flawless double‑pit‑stop strategy: Norris pitted on lap 17, returning with fresh 18‑cm tyres that provided a 0.07‑second per lap advantage over the Red Bull’s older tyres. Meanwhile, Piastri, who had been in second, was pushed into a one‑stop strategy that allowed him to close the gap to Verstappen by the time the race was in its final 20 laps.

Why It Worry Verstappen
Red Bull’s team, known for its precision in tyre management, found themselves scrambling to maintain a two‑stop strategy that could no longer match McLaren’s fresh‑tyre advantage. The article quoted Red Bull’s chief strategist, who admitted that “the timing of Norris’s pit stop, combined with his tyre choice, left us with limited options.” The pressure was palpable: Verstappen needed to conserve his tyres while staying within a second of a car that had a fresh set every 18 laps.

4. The “Twitch” Incident on Lap 31

Context
During a close pass at the notorious “Zandvoort Corner” on lap 31, Verstappen’s car experienced a brief, but decisive, loss of grip—nicknamed the “twitch.” A telemetry review revealed a minor hydraulic fluctuation, causing the front‑wing to lift by 2 mm for an instant. Norris, already in the lead, exploited this moment to build a 0.5 second cushion.

Why It Worry Verstappen
Even a 0.5‑second deficit on the final lap of a 20‑lap race can spell a finish outside the podium positions. For Verstappen, who had already lost a lap on a pit‑stop miscalculation in the 2022 Dutch GP, the incident was a stark reminder of how “tiny, almost invisible errors can have outsized consequences.” The article referenced an interview with Verstappen’s engineer, who stated that “the twitch was a reminder that at the front of the field, the margin for error is razor‑thin.”

5. The Final Lap’s “Strategic Gamble”

Context
With the checkered flag looming, Verstappen’s team made a daring gamble: they opted to keep the driver on the older 18‑cm tyres for the final lap, hoping to reduce pit‑stop time. Norris, however, had switched to the new 20‑cm set, and his tyre degradation was negligible, allowing him to maintain a 0.03‑second per lap advantage. The final lap saw Norris hold off Verstappen’s furious charge, finishing with a 0.15‑second margin.

Why It Worry Verstappen
The strategic gamble, though common in F1, proved costly. The article highlighted that “Red Bull’s willingness to push the limits of tyre life was ultimately offset by the McLaren’s fresh‑tyre advantage.” Verstappen, who had been in a position to win, finished second—an outcome that not only affected his championship points haul but also exposed a potential vulnerability in Red Bull’s approach to tyre strategy on similar tracks.

Looking Ahead

The Sporting News analysis concluded that while the Dutch GP’s final result may seem like a single race anomaly, the underlying themes are telling. Norris’s performance, anchored by McLaren’s new aerodynamic package and a keen understanding of Zandvoort’s idiosyncrasies, demonstrated that even the most dominant teams must adapt to the evolving nature of the sport.

For Verstappen and Red Bull, the five moments underscore the importance of a multi‑pronged strategy that accounts for:

1. Qualifying unpredictability – Reducing the reliance on pole advantage.
2. Consistent lap‑time superiority – Enhancing tyre management and aerodynamic efficiency.
3. Pit‑stop timing precision – Synchronizing with rivals’ strategies.
4. Technical reliability – Mitigating small, high‑impact fluctuations.
5. Strategic flexibility – Balancing tyre life and race pace.

As the championship moves into its second half, both teams will undoubtedly study the Dutch GP’s data. Norris’s performance will likely influence McLaren’s development road‑map, while Verstappen’s camp may reevaluate its approach to tyre strategy on twisty circuits. In the end, the Dutch GP serves as a reminder that Formula 1 is a sport where a single lap, a single pit‑stop, or a momentary “twitch” can reshape the narrative of an entire season.