F1 Dutch GP: Nirvana for Max by Peter Windsor

There couldn't have been a better return to the FIA F1 calendar for the Netherlands and Zandvoort: in front of delirious crowds, Red Bull-Honda's Max Verstappen converted his pole position into a decisive, clean-cut victory over Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

It was close, though - very close: Hamilton was always there, pushing hard; and plenty was the traffic around the compact, undulating circuit. Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas finished an uninspiring third; Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc drove brilliantly for Alpha Tauri-Honda and Ferrari to finish fourth and fifth; and Alpine's Fernando Alonso snatched a stunning six place from Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in the closing moments.

And Max's team-mate, Sergio Perez, underlined the pace of the Red Bull-Honda package with a sparkling drive from the pit lane up to P8. Peter Windsor reflects on the day's proceedings.

About the editor

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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