Max Verstappen Claims Dramatic Dutch Home Win With Second Title In Sight

World champion and runaway series leader Max Verstappen made the most of his unerring speed and reliability, and the chaotic teamwork of his rivals, to claim a dramatic victory for Red Bull in his home Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday. The 24-year-old Dutchman took full advantage of his team's cool decision-making, as Mercedes and Ferrari appeared to make flustered choices in the heat of the moment, to come home 4.071 seconds ahead of George Russell of Mercedes and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

For several laps in the closing stages, it appeared that seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton might win until a late Safety Car resulted in him being left out on worn tyres by Mercedes, as Verstappen and Russell took softs.

Exposed and unable to defend his position Hamilton was furious, but the sea of 105,000 ebullient fans packed into the Zandvoort circuit revelled in their hero's good fortune as he passed Hamilton and pulled clear to claim a second successive Dutch triumph, a fourth consecutive win and his 10th of the season.

"It wasn't straightforward, but we pushed and we made the right calls," said Verstappen.

"It's worked out really well and it's always special to win at home."

As the forbidden flares and fireworks were lit and smoke spilled across the track, Hamilton came home fourth ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull and Alpine's Fernando Alonso.

In a race punctuated by interruptions and influenced heavily by strategic decisions related to tyre-wear, it was Red Bull's exploitation of their opportunity that gave Verstappen his 30th career win while, for Hamilton, it seemed defeat had been clutched from the jaws of victory.

Verstappen now has 309 points ahead of Leclerc and Perez on 201 in the championship, making it possible