F1 News: Lando Norris Risks Team Orders for Extra Point at Dutch GP

Lando Norris took a bold step at the Dutch Grand Prix by ignoring McLaren's orders to chase an extra point for the fastest lap. This decision came after his impressive performance, where he secured his second career win, finishing 23 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.

During the race, Norris faced a slow start due to wheel spin, allowing Verstappen to take the lead. However, he quickly regained his footing and overtook the Red Bull driver after 18 laps. His pace was strong enough to keep Verstappen at bay, raising questions about Red Bull's dominance in the sport.

“In general, McLaren were clearly superior, underlined by the fastest lap without DRS on the very last lap, at 1:13.8," Helmut Marko said via Autosport.com .

“We can only dream of a time like that. We have a lot of work to do because this lead of 70 or 72 points is not enough with nine races to go.”

Despite the team's preference for Norris to focus on finishing safely rather than risking a push for the fastest lap, he managed to clock a time of 1:13.817 on the final lap. While this earned him an additional point, it was a decision that McLaren would not have approved had he sought permission first.

Norris’s gamble paid off, but it sparked discussions within McLaren about whether the risk was worth it. The team would have preferred him to prioritize a secure finish over chasing a single point. Nevertheless, Norris expressed satisfaction with the car's performance throughout the weekend, indicating that he felt confident and comfortable on the track.

“I think from quite early on, actually, from probably lap five, six, seven, I expected Max to start pushing and get a bit of a gap, and he never did," Norris said via Autosport.com.

“So, from that point, I knew we were in with a good fight. He seemed to just keep dropping off, and my pace was getting better.

“It's a nice feeling inside the car, and especially when I got past. I could just get comfortable, I could push, I had clean air, and that's always a big help.”

As the season progresses, this incident highlights the ongoing tension between driver ambition and team strategy in Formula 1.