Oscar Piastri won the Dutch Grand Prix to take a mighty 34 point lead in the Formula One championship on Sunday as McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris saw his hopes go up in smoke.

On a day of drama, with Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc crashing out in separate incidents, McLaren were heading for a record-equalling fifth successive one-two win when Norris suffered late despair.

After saying he could smell smoke in the cockpit, the Briton slowed and retired from second place on lap 65 of 72 with very visible evidence then seen coming out of the back of his stricken car.

Home hero Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull with Racing Bulls’ French rookie Isack Hadjar taking his first Formula One podium in third place and punching the air in delight.

Had Norris passed Piastri, the gap at the top would have been slashed to a mere two points. Second place would have expanded it to 16 but the blank instead catapulted Piastri to a lead of substantially more than a race win.

With the McLarens so closely matched, and nine races remaining plus Saturday sprints, Norris now faces a major challenge after what could prove a decisive moment in the championship.

“I controlled the race when I needed to, and obviously it was incredibly unfortunate (for Norris) at the end,” commented Piastri after the Australian’s seventh win of the campaign.

“But I was in control at that moment and used the pace when I needed to.”

The ninth career win equalled those of former F1 racer and compatriot Mark Webber, now Piastri’s manager.

George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes with Alex Albon fifth for Williams and Oliver Bearman sixth for Haas after starting last and from the pitlane in a race with two safety car periods.

Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso gave Aston Martin a double points finish in seventh and eighth with Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda ninth and Esteban Ocon completing the top 10 for Haas.