Max Verstappen won the Dutch Grand Prix in the Formula 1 World Championship, equaling Sebastian Vettel's record with nine consecutive victories on Sunday. Fernando Alonso finished second with Aston Martin and earned an additional point for achieving the fastest lap, which intensified the excitement of the final laps after the race resumed from a standstill.
This is the 14th consecutive win for the Austrian team, maintaining their perfect record over 13 races this season. The race started in dry conditions but rain began by the end of the first lap before stopping, only to return heavily, causing the race to be halted on lap 65 out of 72.
Pierre Gasly, driving for Alpine, took third place after Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate and closest title rival, received a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane, dropping him to fourth. Verstappen leads the championship by 138 points over Perez with nine races remaining.
Verstappen expressed his excitement as the Dutch fans celebrated in the stands: "This is amazing. The fans made it difficult to make the right decisions, especially in this weather. I am very proud; I felt chills during the national anthem before the race started." The 25-year-old driver added, "The fans enjoyed themselves despite the bad weather. So, the atmosphere was incredible."
