WIZARD OF OS LANDS BLOW

NORRIS IN CHARGE BUT THEN PIPPED BY PIASTRI

- HARRY SMITH

LANDO NORRIS was dealt a crushing blow when teammate Oscar Piastri snatched pole from under his nose in the Netherlands.

Brit Norris had dominated proceedings all week at Zandvoort and looked set for a great chance to haul in the Australian, who leads him by nine points in the battle for the title.

As has often been the case this season, Norris looked the most assured of the McLaren duo heading into qualifying, only to be usurped by the man in the opposite garage, who took pole by 12-thousands of a second.

The Brit was fastest in all three practice sessions, but Piastri delivered when it mattered most.

“It’s close, it’s been close the whole weekend, so easily could go one way or the other,’ Norris said.