Verstappen delights Dutch fans with 'special' home win

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands－World champion and runaway series leader Max Verstappen stayed cool to ride his luck and claim a dramatic victory for Red Bull, as his rivals floundered with a series of tactical errors, in Sunday's chaotic and unpredictable Dutch Grand Prix.

Amid wild celebrations at the packed Zandvoort circuit, with 105,000 orange-clad fans reveling in their hero's triumph, the 24-year-old Dutchman took full advantage of his team's calm decision-making in an incident-filled race to finish 4.071 seconds clear of Mercedes' George Russell.

Charles Leclerc came home third for Ferrari and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton fourth in the second Mercedes, scant reward after what seemed a probable victory was taken away when he was left on cold, worn tires as both Verstappen and Russell switched to softs during a late safety-car intervention.