ZANDVOORT, Netherlands -- The air was thick with orange smoke and a techno beat as Max Verstappen completed his victory lap at Zandvoort. The three-day party on the Dutch coast, which got underway the moment the first car left the pits on Friday morning, had reached its climax, with 70,000 people celebrating the first Dutch home victory in Formula One. Given the hype surrounding Verstappen in the build-up to the grand prix -- the first to be held in the Netherlands since 1985 -- it seemed unimaginable that anyone other than the Dutchman would win on Sunday. But, by its own admission, Mercedes made it much easier for Verstappen than it needed to be. Although Red Bull undoubtedly held a pace...
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