Hometown hero Max Verstappen wins Dutch Grand Prix
Sports Desk, Sep 4 (EFE).- Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his home race at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday to cement his massive lead at the top of the drivers’ championship.
The victory at Zandvoort, the 15th race of the season, is the reigning world champion’s 10th of the season and his fourth in a row.
He was joined on the podium by George Russell for Mercedes in second and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in third.
Starting on pole, Verstappen held off the Ferrari pair of Leclerc and Spain’s Carlos Sainz, and soon opened up a sizable gap at the front.
Sainz’s hopes of fighting for a win or podium finish were dashed by a disastrous, 12-second pit stop, as Ferrari were again left to rue errors during a Grand Prix. His woes would later be compounded by a penalty for an unsafe pitstop release.
His compatriot Fernando Alonso had an impressive performance for Alpine, finishing in sixth after starting in 13th.
A bitterly disappointed Hamilton, who had led the race at one stage, finished in fourth, while Perez came in fifth.
Lando Norris (McLaren) finished behind Alonso, while Sainz fell to eighth place due to the penalty.
The next race of the Formula 1 World Championship will be the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on Sept. 11. EFE
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