Lando Norris’ Dutch GP Overtake Reminded Jolyon Palmer of Mika Hakkinen’s Iconic Move

Lando Norris’ victory at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix left former Formula 1 driver and pundit Jolyon Palmer thinking about one of the most memorable overtakes in F1 history.

Palmer saw similarities between Norris’ decisive move on Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Zandvoort and Mika Hakkinen’s famous pass on Michael Schumacher during the 2000 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Although the circumstances were not identical, Palmer believes both overtakes demonstrated the same combination of patience, bravery and perfect timing that can turn a close Formula 1 battle into an unforgettable moment.

Norris Secures Another Victory at Zandvoort

Norris arrived at the Dutch Grand Prix looking to strengthen his championship campaign, and the McLaren driver delivered one of his most impressive performances of the season.

The reigning world champion claimed his second victory of the 2026 campaign after recovering the lead he had lost to Mercedes driver Antonelli during the race.

Norris eventually crossed the finish line 11.536 seconds ahead of Antonelli, while his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri finished sixth, more than 32 seconds behind the winner.

The result was particularly significant because Norris had already demonstrated his pace during qualifying.

The British driver secured pole position with an extraordinary final lap in Q3. Despite rain threatening to affect the closing stages of qualifying, Norris produced a 1:11.163.

That was enough to beat Mercedes driver George Russell, who had set a 1:11.265, by just over a tenth of a second.

With such a strong starting position, Norris appeared to have an excellent opportunity to control the race. However, the events that followed made his eventual victory much more complicated.

Antonelli Makes a Strong Start

Antonelli began the Dutch Grand Prix from third on the grid, but he immediately demonstrated why Mercedes had high hopes for him.

The Italian driver took advantage of starting on the racing line and managed to pass Russell heading into the opening corner.

His next target was Norris.

However, before Antonelli could launch an attack on the McLaren, the race was interrupted following a crash involving Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull driver’s incident brought out the red flags and forced the field to regroup.

When the race eventually restarted on Lap 5, Antonelli produced another excellent getaway.

This time, he succeeded where Russell had failed.

Antonelli got off the line faster than Norris and moved into the lead before the drivers reached Turn 1.

For Norris, the challenge was now to remain close enough to Antonelli to create another opportunity later in the race.

Norris Refuses to Let Antonelli Escape

Antonelli was unable to build the kind of advantage he needed to comfortably control the race.

Norris stayed close behind the Mercedes and continued looking for weaknesses.

Palmer was particularly impressed by Norris’ persistence during this phase of the race.

The McLaren driver repeatedly pushed his car to the limit, using every available opportunity to remain within striking distance.

At times, Norris appeared to be operating right at the edge of the available grip.

He reportedly slid the car through Turn 13 while attempting to maintain enough speed to position himself for an attack.

Palmer also pointed to an occasion when Norris went particularly deep into Turn 11.

Rather than interpreting these moments as mistakes, Palmer saw them as evidence that Norris was willing to take significant risks in order to stay close to Antonelli.

The British driver understood that he could not simply wait indefinitely for the Mercedes driver to make a mistake.

Eventually, he would need to create his own opportunity.

The Decisive Moment on Lap 54

That opportunity arrived on Lap 54.

The circumstances behind the overtake were crucial.

Ferrari had chosen not to pit Lewis Hamilton, leaving Hamilton in a position that affected Antonelli’s progress.

Antonelli became effectively trapped behind his fellow Mercedes driver, giving Norris the opening he had been waiting for.

Norris immediately recognised the situation.

Instead of following Antonelli through the normal racing line, he attacked around the outside of Turn 1.

It was an extremely committed move.

The McLaren driver braked hard and carried the necessary speed around the outside to complete the pass.

He had also adjusted his brake bias toward the rear, a technical change that helped reduce the risk of locking the front wheels under heavy braking.

The result was a spectacular pass that ultimately played a major role in determining the outcome of the race.

Palmer Sees a Hakkinen-Schumacher Parallel

For Palmer, Norris’ move immediately brought back memories of Hakkinen’s legendary overtake on Schumacher at the 2000 Belgian Grand Prix.

That famous battle took place at Spa, where Hakkinen was chasing Schumacher.

The two drivers encountered Ricardo Zonta while approaching Les Combes, and Hakkinen used the presence of the third car to create an unexpected opportunity.

Hakkinen moved past Schumacher in one of the most iconic overtakes ever witnessed in Formula 1.

Palmer acknowledged that Norris’ pass was different in several important respects.

Nevertheless, he believed there was a clear similarity in the way both drivers recognised that the presence and positioning of another car could create an opportunity that would not otherwise exist.

In Norris’ case, Hamilton’s position contributed to Antonelli becoming vulnerable.

The McLaren driver recognised the opening and committed fully.

Norris Showed Complete Confidence

Palmer praised Norris for the determination he displayed while chasing Antonelli.

According to the former F1 driver, it was obvious that Norris desperately wanted to regain the lead.

The McLaren driver was willing to push his car beyond its comfortable limits while following another car through turbulent air.

Driving closely behind another Formula 1 car can significantly reduce aerodynamic performance and make the car more difficult to control.

Despite that disadvantage, Norris continued attacking.

Palmer described the eventual pass as brilliant because Norris did not hesitate once the opportunity appeared.

He knew that waiting for another chance might mean allowing Antonelli to escape.

Instead, he committed to the outside line and trusted his braking, car control and positioning.

That combination ultimately produced the winning move.

A Fitting Ending to the Dutch Grand Prix

The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix was expected to be the final Formula 1 race at Zandvoort, making Norris’ victory particularly memorable.

Rather than winning simply through superior pace or strategy, Norris secured the result with a spectacular on-track manoeuvre.

For Palmer, that was exactly what makes Formula 1 racing so compelling.

A victory decided by an exceptional overtake provides a different kind of satisfaction from a race determined entirely by pit-stop strategy or tyre management.

Norris had to fight for the win after losing the lead at the restart, remain close to Antonelli for dozens of laps and then seize his opportunity when it finally arrived.

The decisive pass demonstrated both his technical ability and his willingness to take risks when the stakes were high.

Norris and the Next Generation of F1 Stars

The battle between Norris and Antonelli also represented an important moment for the current generation of Formula 1 drivers.

Norris, now 26, is competing as the reigning world champion, while Antonelli is emerging as one of Mercedes’ leading young talents.

Their fight at Zandvoort showed that the future of Formula 1 could feature intense battles between drivers who are already capable of producing spectacular racing.

For Norris, the victory also provides further evidence that he has developed into a driver capable of winning under pressure.

He was forced to recover from losing the lead, deal with difficult conditions and remain patient before finally making his move.

Palmer’s comparison with Hakkinen’s famous pass therefore represents more than simple praise.

It suggests that Norris is beginning to create memorable moments of his own.

While the circumstances were different from Hakkinen’s legendary move against Schumacher, the underlying qualities were similar: awareness, courage, precision and the confidence to commit when the opportunity appeared.

With Norris taking victory through such a spectacular pass, the final Dutch Grand Prix delivered precisely the kind of dramatic racing that Formula 1 fans will remember long after the chequered flag.