Rainfall at both the start and finish of the race added a twist to the challenge for the drivers, but Verstappen persevered and secured his ninth consecutive victory.

Max Verstappen secured his ninth consecutive victory at the Dutch GP, equaling a record, as rain showers at the race’s beginning and end led to significant position changes throughout the grid.

Although Verstappen had started from pole position, it was his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, who led in the early stages. Perez made an early pit stop for intermediate tires during the initial rain showers, while the champion chose to stay out.

Verstappen later managed to overtake and regain the lead, but a late safety car period, caused by the crash of Zhou Guanyu’s Alfa Romeo, created anxiety in the garage. The restart was delayed for over 40 minutes due to heavy rain at Zandvoort.

Ultimately, Verstappen successfully fended off Fernando Alonso’s challenge to claim his third consecutive victory at his home race. However, Perez couldn’t hold onto third place as he received a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane before the race was red-flagged.

This penalty elevated Pierre Gasly of Alpine to third place, securing the team’s second podium finish of the season. Perez finished in fourth, followed by Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who held off Lewis Hamilton’s challenges in the race’s closing stages.