Lando Norris seals Dutch GP hat-trick, Verstappen crashes out at Zandvoort | WATCH

Lando Norris secured back-to-back Dutch Grand Prix victories on Sunday, winning the final Formula One race at Zandvoort after local favourite Max Verstappen suffered a dramatic crash on the opening lap.

Starting from pole, the reigning world champion eventually finished 11.54 seconds ahead of title leader Kimi Antonelli, while Mercedes driver George Russell completed the podium after holding off a late challenge from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

The victory gave McLaren a third consecutive Dutch Grand Prix win. Oscar Piastri won at Zandvoort last year, while Norris had taken victory the year before.

Verstappen crashes in front of home crowd

The race was thrown into chaos before the opening lap was even complete.

Heavy rain had fallen around an hour before the start, leaving drivers to contend with a drying track. Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull at the final corner of the first lap and slammed into the wall before his car careered back across the circuit.

Several drivers were forced to take evasive action as the damaged Red Bull crossed the track.

The crash left the packed crowd of Dutch fans stunned, but Verstappen quickly reassured his team that he was unhurt before walking away from the car.

The incident brought the race to a halt for more than 30 minutes.

Antonelli takes early lead before Norris fights back

When the race finally restarted, Antonelli made the better getaway and moved ahead of Norris at the first corner.

The Mercedes driver remained in front for much of the race, but Norris continued to pressure him before making his move on lap 54.

The McLaren driver produced a decisive overtake to reclaim the lead and then pulled clear as the race entered its closing stages.

Norris said he had made the race harder for himself but was delighted with the result.

"I made it tough for myself today, but a good race. Well fought. Probably one of my better wins," Norris said.

"I managed things incredibly well today. So over the moon, very, very happy and nice to win the final race here in Zandvoort."

Russell beats Hamilton to final podium place

While Norris headed towards the chequered flag, the battle behind him remained intense.

Hamilton mounted a late challenge for third, but Russell held his ground to secure the final podium position for Mercedes.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished fifth, while McLaren's Piastri came home sixth.

Despite finishing second, Antonelli retained a 59-point advantage over Hamilton and Russell in the championship standings.

However, his title campaign will face an immediate setback at the next race in Monza, where he will serve a 10-place grid penalty following Mercedes' forced engine change.

Antonelli, who turns 20 next week, admitted he struggled with the car during the race.

"Just didn't have the feeling with the car that was sliding a lot overall," he said.

Final Dutch GP brings curtain down on Zandvoort

Norris' victory came on an emotional day for the Dutch Grand Prix, with the Zandvoort race ending its run on the Formula One calendar after promoters decided to pull the plug for financial reasons.

The circuit has become one of the sport's most distinctive venues, with its steeply banked corners creating a different challenge for drivers.

The final edition also featured the trademark orange-clad crowd, with tens of thousands of Dutch fans filling the venue and creating a raucous atmosphere throughout the weekend.

With AFP inputs