Verstappen Wins Dutch Grand Prix: Party Like Atmosphere In The Stands

Max Verstappen becomes the first Dutch driver in F1 history to win the Dutch Grand Prix, his home race, holding off F1 legend Lewis Hamilton to now take over 1st in the driver standings and inching Red Bull closer to Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship.

ᙠ - BLM on Twitter: "SUPER MAX #F1 pic.twitter.com/u3VyLVysAc / Twitter"

SUPER MAX #F1 pic.twitter.com/u3VyLVysAc

Part of today's storyline was the Dutch crowd, fully equipped with a pre-race DJ and rave-like dancing, thunderous cheers seemingly every time Max drove by and plenty of smoke bombs and flares made this race the kind of spectacle I am sure F1 would love to see at every venue.

Paul on Twitter: "I thought football was popular with the Dutch.I think F1 is on a different level the Dutch are F1 mad... the crowd all weekend. pic.twitter.com/MU4HgiteSn / Twitter"

I thought football was popular with the Dutch.I think F1 is on a different level the Dutch are F1 mad... the crowd all weekend. pic.twitter.com/MU4HgiteSn

F1 Experiences on Twitter: "LAP 66/72The Dutch fans are sweating as Max struggles on tyres and Lewis claws back the gap.With a gap of 4.223secs from Max to Lewis we have a nervous crowd here!#ExperienceF1 #DutchGP 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/zhgvOX4AVO / Twitter"

LAP 66/72The Dutch fans are sweating as Max struggles on tyres and Lewis claws back the gap.With a gap of 4.223secs from Max to Lewis we have a nervous crowd here!#ExperienceF1 #DutchGP 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/zhgvOX4AVO

KHAL BUSSIE 💙 on Twitter: "The Dutch crowd ain't here to play man #DutchGrandPrix #DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/flfw1T0hY7 / Twitter"

The Dutch crowd ain't here to play man #DutchGrandPrix #DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/flfw1T0hY7

Marco on Twitter: "Organisation: "please go easy on the flares"Dutch crowd: "we got this" pic.twitter.com/4hsXV54ir9 / Twitter"

Organisation: "please go easy on the flares"Dutch crowd: "we got this" pic.twitter.com/4hsXV54ir9

Hamilton did pick up a bonus point for the fastest lap of the day, which he grabbed on the final lap after his teammate Bottas was told not to attempt the fastest lap but did anyway 2 laps prior. There may be some difficult conversations within the Mercedes team meetings over the next few days.

Mercedes had Hamilton pit during lap 40 and put on medium tires, in hopes of not pitting again. With a 24 second lead, Verstappen pits on lap 41 and places hard tires on his Red Bull machine. Soon after, Hamilton complained about the strategy over the radio, which many speculated was a strategy tactic, hoping Red Bull fell for it. Max kept plugging away and never pit again, winning easily. After Bottas secured the fastest lap on lap 70 against his team's wishes, Hamilton took the pit on lap 71 for soft tires, then on the final lap won the fastest lap.

New standings are below.

~Michael Patrick Day, Irish Proud & 12oz Sports Writer