Norris excels while Piastri seeks solutions.

      Defending world champion Lando Norris returned from the summer break to secure his second consecutive victory, while Oscar Piastri admits he still doesn't quite grasp why his McLaren's speed vanished so abruptly during the race at Zandvoort.

      Piastri entered the Netherlands feeling optimistic that his experience in Hungary had provided valuable insights after narrowly missing out on the win there. However, he remarked after the Sprint: "It’s a bit surprising not to have the pace today." As Norris turned his pole position into another win, Piastri struggled to maintain his pace and slipped from contention for the podium to finish in P6, stating that he had "nothing" after the first stint.

      "I don’t know why - there’s a lot to investigate," the Australian said. When asked specifically about the issues, Piastri simply stated: "The pace. I don’t really have any more answers than that right now. We will review the entire weekend and analyze to figure out why we experienced such a substantial drop in performance."

      On the other hand, Norris feels that his recent improvements stem from more than just speed. "I really believe I’m getting better at understanding situations and the car itself," he explained. "It’s still a tough drive, but I’m managing to grasp this better, communicate it to my team, and solve problems."

      Nevertheless, Norris is not claiming that McLaren is now the new standard or overly promoting his championship prospects. "We certainly have a car capable of beating them," he said regarding Mercedes. "But I think they possess a more consistently high-performing car than we do. If I hadn’t overtaken Kimi, I doubt I would have won the race today."

      Norris also feels that his strong performance may be helping to mask the remaining deficit in the car's capabilities. "For once, I’ll give myself a bit of credit for doing a better job than everyone else, and I think that can also make a difference."