With dark clouds overhead, the grid lined up on a mix of strategies: most on mediums, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda and Colapinto on softs, while Haas gambled on hards — Bearman starting from the pit lane after power unit changes.
At lights out, Piastri launched well from pole. Verstappen surged into second on softs, wobbling at Turn 3 but holding on. Norris briefly lost out but reclaimed ground, while Hadjar and Leclerc jostled in the midfield. By Lap 2, Piastri had already built a 1.6s gap.
Early Laps (Laps 3–15)
Piastri extended his lead as Norris fought Verstappen, passing him around the outside into Turn 1 on Lap 9. Hadjar held fourth but was the cork in a DRS train, with Leclerc, Russell and Hamilton close behind. Albon impressed, climbing to P10.
By Lap 12, Norris was closing on Piastri, cutting the lead to 3.3s. Rain was reported but not heavy enough to impact grip. Stroll tangled with Bortoleto on Lap 7, forcing the Brazilian to run with front-wing damage.
Drizzle and Strategy Uncertainty (Laps 16–22)
The first spots of rain arrived, but not enough for intermediates. Teams hesitated on strategy. Alonso pitted for hards early, while the leaders stayed out. Fans donned ponchos as conditions worsened slightly, yet the track remained dry enough for slicks.
First Safety Car – Hamilton Crashes (Lap 23–26)
Onboard with Lewis as he finds the barriers 👀#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/jIONr2DGDk
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2025
On Lap 23, Hamilton crashed out at Turn 3, bringing out the Safety Car. The field dived into the pits — McLaren double-stacked, Verstappen, Hadjar and others followed. Leclerc had stopped too early and lost out, dropping to sixth. Haas stayed out on their starting hards, briefly elevating Ocon into the top ten.
Restart Chaos (Laps 27–35)
Sainz vs Lawson at the restart 💥#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/xee2epqxef
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2025
Racing resumed on Lap 27. Almost immediately, Lawson and Sainz collided, both suffering punctures and damage. Sainz required a new nose and later received a 10-second penalty for causing the crash. Piastri rebuilt his lead, while Norris was told he would need to pass on track.
Meanwhile, Russell criticised Hadjar for «moving under braking» as the rookie defended superbly in fourth. Further back, Antonelli clashed with Leclerc, with tensions flaring.
Mid-Race Battles (Laps 36–50)
Piastri maintained around a 1.5s lead over Norris, who stalked him but could not find a way through. Verstappen held third on ageing mediums. Haas still hadn’t stopped, with Ocon and Bearman temporarily running inside the points.
Mercedes swapped positions as Antonelli was let through past Russell, though the Italian’s race soon unravelled. Alonso’s strategy faltered; despite fresh tyres he languished outside the points.
Second Safety Car – Leclerc and Antonelli Collide (Lap 54)
Leclerc and Antonelli's dramatic coming together 💥
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2025
The Mercedes driver has been handed a 10-second penalty for causing a collision #F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/lxcCc4o1WO
On Lap 53, Mercedes pitted Antonelli for softs, Ferrari reacted with Leclerc — and they collided as they rejoined. Leclerc hit the barriers, bringing out the second Safety Car. Both McLarens, Verstappen, Hadjar and others pitted for hards. Antonelli, with damage, picked up a puncture and a 10-second penalty.
The restart saw Piastri and Norris lead on hards, with Verstappen and Hadjar behind on softs.
The McLaren Battle and Norris’ Heartbreak (Laps 60–65)
The moment Lando's race ended 😖
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2025
Sound on 🔊#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/ZYY2qSTeKw
Norris closed to within DRS range of Piastri by Lap 60, but Piastri resisted firmly. Just as the intra-team fight peaked, disaster struck: smoke billowed from Norris’ car on Lap 65. He pulled off and retired, triggering the third Safety Car.
The sight of Norris, helmet on, sitting in the dunes became the defining image of the day — his championship hopes dented as his team-mate surged ahead.
Final Shootout (Laps 68–72)
The Safety Car ended with four laps to go. Verstappen pressed hard on his softs, but Piastri broke DRS on Lap 71 and pulled clear. Rookie Hadjar held firm for third despite Russell’s pressure. Further back, Antonelli’s penalties dropped him to 16th, promoting Bearman and Stroll into strong points.
Final Classification (Top 10):
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 72 laps
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +1.271s
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) +3.233s
- George Russell (Mercedes) +5.654s
- Alex Albon (Williams) +6.327s
- Ollie Bearman (Haas) +9.044s
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +9.497s
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +11.709s
- Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) +13.597s
- Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +14.063s
DNFs: Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton
Total joy in parc ferme for Isack and @visacashapprb 😍#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/1KAhcfvctg
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2025
