Max Verstappen won a chaotic rain-hit Dutch Grand Prix to claim a record-equalling ninth successive Formula 1 victory.
Red Bull’s Verstappen overcame huge downpours at both the start and towards the end of his home race to match the record Sebastian Vettel set with the same team in 2013.
Fernando Alonso took second for Aston Martin, while Pierre Gasly claimed his first podium for Alpine in third after benefitting from a penalty for Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, who was demoted to fourth.
With the rain having relented and the surface once more favouring slick tyres, Verstappen was able to reclaim the lead as he pitted on lap 11 to benefit from an undercut on Perez, who emerged in second when he stopped a lap later.
Verstappen looked to be cruising towards victory as he opened up a 10-second lead over Perez, before another heavy band of rain hit the coastal town with 12 laps remaining.
Chaos ensued as a heavier shower than the one at the start saw cars begin to aquaplane on the main straight, with a heavy crash for Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu prompting a red flag.
Following a delay of more than 40 minutes, Verstappen calmly controlled a rolling restart on intermediate tyres to ease almost four seconds clear of Alonso in the five laps that remained.
The main drama at the restart came as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz held off Lewis Hamilton for fifth, with the Mercedes driver unable to crown an impressive comeback drive from 13th on the grid.
McLaren’s Lando Norris salvaged seventh having dropped down the field from second on the grid amid the early drama, but a late collision with fellow Brit George Russell meant the Mercedes driver was left pointless having started third.
Alex Albon capped an impressive weekend by taking eighth for Williams ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, while Esteban Ocon completed a strong day for Alpine by claiming the final point.
