WATCH: Lando Norris makes another Turn 1 blunder to lose lead to Max Verstappen

Lando Norris, who had impressed the Formula 1 world by securing a brilliant pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix, experienced yet another disappointing start as he lost the lead to Max Verstappen on the opening lap of the race. This setback is becoming a familiar pattern for the British driver, who has struggled to maintain his position at the front in the crucial early moments of recent races.

Norris, who had out-qualified Max Verstappen by a significant margin of 0.356 seconds, entered the Zandvoort race with high hopes of converting his pole position into a victory. However, those hopes were quickly dashed when Verstappen surged up the inside at Turn 1 to snatch the lead from the McLaren driver. The Dutchman’s aggressive move was met with loud cheers from the 100,000-strong crowd, who had come to see their local hero reclaim his dominance.

Here is the video:

¡¡Muy mala salida de Lando Norris!!

Verstappen se coloca líder.pic.twitter.com/1JVJiSQq7d

— ElReyGuiri (@ElReyGuiri) August 25, 2024

The start was not just a blow to Norris, but also to McLaren as a whole. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, who had secured third on the grid, also struggled off the line, losing his position to Mercedes' George Russell. Both McLaren drivers suffered from excessive wheelspin at the start, a factor that left them vulnerable to their rivals. By the end of the third lap, Verstappen had already pulled over a second ahead of Norris, putting him out of DRS range and further cementing his lead.

Lewis Hamilton makes some interesting early moves!

Norris' inability to hold onto the lead in the early stages of the race is becoming a worrying trend. Despite his undeniable speed in qualifying, his starts have repeatedly let him down, costing him valuable positions and potential race wins. This latest incident will undoubtedly raise questions about McLaren’s race starts and whether they can address these issues as the season progresses.

Meanwhile, further back in the pack, Lewis Hamilton, who had a disappointing qualifying session that saw him start in 14th, managed to make some early progress. The seven-time world champion executed a bold move on Yuki Tsunoda. However, Hamilton’s struggles in qualifying have left him with a mountain to climb if he hopes to challenge for a top position in the race.