McLaren's failed bid for F1 record goes up in smoke at Dutch Grand Prix

McLaren failed to tie an F1 record at the Dutch Grand Prix.

F1's dominant team were vying to draw level with Ferrari and Mercedes in the all-time list for consecutive 1-2 finishes.

Oscar Piastri won the Dutch Grand Prix but his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who was running second, retired prematurely with seven laps to go.

A rare mechanical failure on Norris' car meant he did not finish the race, and his team did not tie the impressive record which still belongs to Ferrari and Mercedes.

McLaren recorded their fourth 1-2 finish in a row at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix before the summer break.

They were fancied for a fifth in a row, and were on course. But Norris' hopes went up in smoke, quite literally.

The record for consecutive 1-2 finishes in F1 is still five, held by Ferrari and Mercedes.

Most 1-2 finishes in a row

5 - Mercedes (Belgium 1952 to Netherlands 1952)

5 - Ferrari (Hungary 2002 to Japan 2002)

5 - Mercedes (Malaysia 2014 to Monaco 2014)

5 - Mercedes (USA 2015 to Australia 2016)

5 - Mercedes (Australia 2019 to Spain 2019)

In recent F1 history, Mercedes have been closest to breaking the record.

Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas had five consecutive 1-2 finishes in 2019.

It finally ended at the Monaco Grand Prix, as Bottas finished third.

Mercedes had to double-stack their cars due to a Safety Car, dropping the Finn behind Max Verstappen.

Verstappen was penalised for an unsafe release, but Bottas lost another place after he was called into the pit lane one lap later so Mercedes could check for damage.

Bottas would ultimately finish third, behind Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.