© Getty ImagesDutch delight with P2 for Max, points for YukiMax took his fifth consecutive Dutch Grand Prix podium finish with an attacking race that eventually saw him claim second place.
MaxtookhisfifthconsecutiveDutchGrandPrixpodiumfinishwithanattackingracethateventuallysawhimclaimsecondplaceafterMcLaren’sLandoNorrisexitedtheracewithalate-racepowerunitfailure.YukiplacedninthplacefortheTeam,gainingvaluablepoints.Astheopeninglapsunfolded,MaxmanagedtoekeoutasmallgaptoLando,butonlap9theMcLarendriverclosedinandunderDRSonthemainhewasabletogoaroundtheoutsidetoretakeP2,withMaxawareofthepacedifferential.ThatdifferentialbecameclearinthefollowinglapsandasMax’ssofttyresbegantoquicklydegradethegaptoLandowidenedtoalmostnineseconds.Thesafetycarappearedforthefirsttimeonlap23,andwithdropsofrainfallingandthetrackbecomingslipperyinplaces,Ferrari’sLewisHamiltonlostcontrolonTurn3andslidoffintothebarriers.
Max powers through into P2 following the start of the Dutch Grand Prix© Getty Images
Behind the safety car, a steady stream of cars headed to the pit lane. McLaren stacked their drivers for hard tyres, while Max fitted a set of mediums. When the action resumed on lap 27, Oscar controlled the restart well to hold the lead ahead of Lando, while Max kept closed to the Briton looking for a way past. He couldn’t work a move, however, and as Lando began to bring in his hard tyres, the gap reopened.
Behind the leaders, Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson tangled in Turn 1 dropping down the order before pitting for repairs. Yuki was also battling back following the safety car period, and he was able to once again pass Fernando, and he moved back up to 12th position as the race edged towards half distance.
Yuki battles for position ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell© Getty Images
At the front, Oscar continued to control the pace, managing his gap to Lando at a steady 1.5s. Max sat in a lonely third place, almost seven seconds adrift of Lando and two seconds clear of Isack.
On lap 53, however, Kimi, who had risen to sixth ran into Charles Leclerc. The Italian tried to take a low line through Turn 3 but he went in too hot. Fighting for control, he understeered up the banking and went into the Ferrari. Charles’ car was bounced into the barriers, Kimi lost a wheel, and the safety car came out once again. It would result in the first of two time penalties for the Mercedes driver that would ultimately benefit Yuki at the chequered flag.
Most drivers headed to the pits with the McLarens both making slow stops for fresh hard tyres. Max fitted mediums, as did Isack and fifth-placed George Russell. Yuki also opted to pit, and he emerged in P13 but had a throttle mapping issue following his final pit stop.
The safety car left the track on lap 58 and Max immediately lit up his soft tyres. He tried to overtake Lando on the inside, but the McLaren driver resisted, and Max once again settled into third. Yuki was also on the march, and he powered past Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto to take P12 with 13 laps left.
At the front, Oscar began to eke out a slim gap and with 10 laps to go, the Australian was 1.6s clear of his team-mate, with Max a further four seconds back in P3. With those gaps steadily spreading, it seemed like the order at the front would freeze, but on lap 65, Lando suddenly reported smoke in his cockpit and within moments he was pulling over the side of the track with an apparent oil leak.
That brought out the safety car and when the race resumed the final four laps, Oscar again controlled the restart well to hold the lead ahead of Max and Isack. Further back, Yuki again profited on the restart, barrelling past Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon to rise into the points in P10.
Oscar took the win ahead of Max, first-time podium finisher Isack, and then followed by George. Kimi’s time penalties bit and he plunged to 16th, amending the final finishing order of Alex behind George, followed by Haas’ Ollie Bearman, the Aston Martins of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso and Yuki, who took two well-deserved points with ninth place. The final point went to Haas’ Esteban Ocon.
Max sprays champagne on the podium with VCARB’s Hadjar & McLaren’s Piastri© Getty Images
“It wasn't easy,” Max said afterwards. “I gave it everything at the start to move forward. I had [a] little moment in Turn 2, but after that, we just had to do our own race. “Unfortunately, we didn't have the pace of the McLarens...in general, to be on the podium here is a great result. So, to be in second, I think is a really, really good achievement for us.”
