Blowout puts Norris' F1 title hopes at risk

LANDO Norris suffered a dramatic late engine failure at the Dutch Grand Prix as McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri took a major step towards the title.

- By SCOTT HUNT

Pole-sitter Piastri was cruising towards a lights-to-flag victory at Zandvoort, holding off championship rival Norris before the British driver reported smoke from his cockpit seven laps from the end and swiftly came to a halt.

A dejected Norris sat with his head between his knees on the bank at the side of the track as his title hopes suffered a massive blow, with Piastri opening up a 34-point lead with nine rounds of the championship remaining.

It was also another miserable afternoon for Lewis Hamilton, who began the weekend by saying he wanted to enjoy racing for Ferrari after suggesting they should ditch him when he started and finished 12th in Hungary before the summer break.

He was running seventh when, in light rain, he crashed into the barriers and suffered his first retirement for the Scuderia.