Superb Verstappen thrills home crowd to win Netherlands GP

With orange-clad fans in their thousands cheering him on, home favourite Max Verstappen won the Dutch Grand Prix in style on Sunday and snatched the world championship lead from Lewis Hamilton

The Red Bull driver controlled the race from the start in bright sunshine at a circuit set in coastal sand dunes at the beach resort of Zandvoort. For motorsport lovers it was a pleasant change from last week's farcical washout in Belgium.

Lewis Hamilton finished second, setting the fastest lap on the final lap to earn a consolation bonus point. His Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas came in a distant third. Hamilton said after the race that Red Bull and Verstappen "just did a better job all around". Hamilton, the most successful Formula One driver of all time, now faces a major challenge if he is to win an unprecedented eighth championship

Mercedes tried varying strategies as a narrow track with punishing deep gravel traps made overtaking difficult. But a nerveless Verstappen continued to frustrate his title rival

This is Verstappen's seventh win in 13 races this season as he turned a three-point deficit into a three-point lead. The drivers meet again at Monza next weekend.

Zandvoot last saw races 36 years ago. The day began with Verstappen showing Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima around the Red Bull garage. It ended with him lifting the Dutch flag and celebrating with the Orange Army.