Winner – Isack Hadjar

Perhaps the happiest driver at the end of the Grand Prix, and rightly so, was Isack Hadjar. He achieved his first Formula 1 podium and brought the VCARB team their first podium in 1547 days, with their most recent prior to this coming in 2021 when they were still AlphaTauri. After starting the race in P4, Isack held the position all the way until Lando Norris’ DNF moved him up that all important final spot into the podium places.

Hadjar called it a result he’d “always dreamed of” and said “it feels incredible”.

“The team has worked so hard to get us here today, and I couldn’t be prouder. I didn’t expect today’s result, but achieving one of my dreams makes it even more special.”

His team principal of just three grands prix, Alan Permane, called Isack’s drive “faultless”. It meant that while his 3rd place finish was inherited, he had put himself in the “strongest possible position” to do that, and for that he can be incredibly proud!

Loser – Lando Norris

Lando Norris’ race came to an unfortunate, unlucky end after he suffered an engine problem in the final stages and was forced to retire from the P2 position he’d held to that point. While second place wouldn’t have been what he’d have wanted heading in, it would have kept Piastri’s points lead to a minimum, but now, following this DNF, it stands at 34 points.

“It’s a shame to have ended the race like that today,” he said, “but it was out of my control and there’s nothing I could have done differently.”

“To have been that close to the car ahead throughout the race isn’t easy at Zandvoort, so I’m pleased with my performance. My focus switches straight to Monza.”

Winner – Oscar Piastri

On the opposite side of the McLaren garage from Norris’ heartbreak, Piastri celebrated his ninth career victory and one that has extended his championship lead hugely. It means he now sits on the same number of wins as his mentor, Mark Webber, but it also contributed to his first career grand slam: taking pole position, leading every lap of the grand prix, claiming the win, and setting the fastest lap.

Piastri was “really pleased to come away with the win” but tempered it with a comment about his championship rival, saying, “it was incredibly unfortunate for Lando as you never want to see your teammate DNF, or gain points in that way.”

Importantly for both McLaren drivers, Oscar said “we’ve still got a long way to go”…

Losers – Ferrari

Ferrari’s luck hadn’t turned around following a few weeks off, as things went from bad to worse for the Scuderia with a double DNF on the board leaving Zandvoort.

Both drivers suffered incidents on the banking of turn 3. Hamilton got onto the painted section on the outside as the rain had started to fall, lost traction and headed into the barriers on the exit. For Leclerc, it was an incident with Kimi Antonelli that sent him spinning into the barriers on lap 53.

It means the team leave Zandvoort with no points and two cars to repair ahead of their home race next time out in Monza.

Winner – Alex Albon

Alex Albon took his tenth top ten finish of the season this weekend, finishing P5 and bringing home ten valuable points to Williams, as the battle for P5 in the constructors’ is also heating up…

They now sit 18 points ahead of Aston Martin as the Silverstone-based team achieved a double-points finish today, and on a day where Sainz ended up out of the points, Albon’s were critical in keeping the impact of the Astons’ haul to a minimum.

Albon himself called it a “perfect race” after he made up five places on lap one alone and benefitted therein from chaos through the field, and the timing of the safety cars which he capitalised on for both of his stops.

“By being P10 by Lap 1, it put us in contention for the rest of the race. We kept it on track and picked up the pieces of what went on around us and got that P5”, he reflected.

Losers – Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson

On the other hand, and in contrasting fates to their teammates, Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson suffered as a result of their collision on lap 27.

Sainz launched a move on Lawson into turn one at the first safety car restart but was forced to the outside line which meant that, as Lawson continued on the racing line, the pair collided and each suffered a puncture. It forced them into the pits and from there, their chances at points finishes came undone, particularly as Sainz also picked up a 10-second penalty for being “wholly or predominantly” at fault, in the stewards’ eyes.

Both were understandably left frustrated by the way the race panned out, but Sainz perhaps more so than Lawson. He vowed to discuss the penalty with the stewards after the race and called it “inexplicable”, while Lawson was “disappointed that the incident took place” but felt “the stewards’ decision echoes the rule book”.

Winners – Haas

Haas’ grand prix was not off to the ideal start with both of their drivers starting right from the back: Ocon in P18 and Bearman from the pit lane given that he’d taken a new PU overnight. But 72 laps later, both were into the points with Ocon coming home 10th, but Bearman recording a career best result of 6th!

Starting on the hard tyre opened up the option for both of them to run longer, which they did in a big way. Bearman stuck it out for 53 laps, while Ocon did 52 before boxing for mediums which they both then took to the end.

It was a higher risk strategy, but one they were able to pull off as a result of them having enough pace and it’s meant they’re leaving Zandvoort with nine points cut into their gap to Sauber ahead in the constructors’, on a day where their rivals couldn’t score.

Ayao Komatsu, Haas team principal, said he’s “really proud” of the team.

“From starting P18 and in the pit lane, the chances were against us but you can never give up, so thanks to everyone in the team.”

“Today should be the benchmark, this is what we can do, so let’s do it again.”