Zandvoort Notebook: Alonso Makes History as Zandvoort Says Goodbye

Zandvoort’s late-race tension produced a key point-losing moment for Williams and Fernando Alonso’s milestone added a bright spot for Aston Martin. Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon collided late, with Sainz locking up at Turn 1 on worn tires and sliding into Albon’s car. Sainz received a penalty and apologized, saying the hard tires and braking over the bump left him unable to stop in time. Albon finished ninth-spot contention to strategy changes: he believed they pitted too early on the first stop, then spent the second stint chasing and dealing with blue flags and dirty air. Yuki Tsunoda, returning for a one-off with Racing Bulls, finished 11th after narrowly missing points. Alonso became the first driver aged 45+ to score since 1974, finishing ninth on a one-stop plan after running longer on the softest tires.