#1161 2026 Dutch Grand Prix

With four fewer races held in the three months ended Sunday, June 30, 2026, F1 revenues fell by 38% - $764 million - compared with 2025. The decline was also reflected on a six-month basis compared with the same period in 2025, with three fewer races held. Overall, revenues fell by 15%, amounting to $1.3 billion. Global uncertainties, primarily the conflict in the Middle East, had a significant impact on F1’s financial results for both the quarter and the first half of the year, following the postponement of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. In the second quarter of 2026, five races were held, compared with nine in the second quarter of 2025. From the beginning of the year through the second quarter of 2026, eight races had been held, compared with 11 in 2025. This explains why the Bahrain Grand Prix will be held at Sepang in Malaysia, and why Stefano Domenicali is seeking to arrange additional Grands Prix, potentially in Europe.

Speaking instead of the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix, Honda offers some insight into the updated power unit Aston Martin runs from the Dutch Grand Prix onwards, which goes hand-in-hand with their recent upgrades to help them improve through the midfield. Despite widespread excitement around their collaboration, the 2026 season gets off to a difficult start as Aston Martin finds itself at the bottom of the pecking order, with the power unit suffering from vibration issues and poor reliability. The teething problems are fixed in the early rounds, allowing them to switch their attention to planning upgrades later in the year. Unlike many of their rivals, they opt to introduce a B-spec car at the Hungarian Grand Prix rather than bringing smaller updates to each weekend. It appears to be the right call, with the team surging ahead of Cadillac and Williams in Qualifying before Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso claim P13 and P14 respectively on race day. Further progress is expected at the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix, where engine partner Honda brings a second-specification power unit that is intended to close the gap to faster competitors like Racing Bulls and Alpine. Shintaro Orihara, Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer at Honda, says: 

"We focused on improving engine performance, let’s say to make combustion faster. It’s kind of a secret, but I can disclose a little bit. We changed the pre-chamber to make combustion faster, and also we changed the piston shape to get good combustion. We modified some lubrication systems to reduce friction. We have a quite big list to improve engine performance".

They run the power unit for the first time on-track during a filming day at the Hungaroring, putting it to the test and finding out how it complements the extensive 16 upgrades Aston Martin debuts at the same circuit. While no public comment is made on the day’s success, there is a general sense of optimism that the team is better placed to compete for points, with Alonso hopeful that the second half of the year represents a new start of the championship. Asked how many horsepower the new engine brings, Orihara replies:

"I can’t disclose that detailed number, but we have achieved our internal target and I’m confident in what the HRC Sakura factory guys achieved for the spec 2 engine. We are excited to bring the new spec engine to the Netherlands and we will see where we are".

Red Bull confirms that Isack Hadjar will not take part in this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix, with Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson stepping up to the top team as his replacement. The Frenchman sustains a wrist injury ahead of the season-resuming event at the Circuit Zandvoort - where team mate Max Verstappen competes in his home race - thereby ruling him out of the round. Hadjar, who currently sits eighth in the standings and is on a run of seven Grands Prix in the points, is substituted by Lawson. The New Zealander previously has a stint at Red Bull for two rounds at the beginning of 2025 before being demoted to their sister team - he becomes a star of the midfield there, and is 'best of the rest' in terms of points won. His temporarily vacant seat is subsequently filled by Yuki Tsunoda, another former Red Bull racer who loses his full-time drive at the end of last season and is reassigned to the role of test and reserve driver for both outfits. In an official statement, Red Bull confirms: 

"Hadjar has sustained a wrist injury during summer shutdown that will prevent him from racing at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. We will be welcoming back Lawson who will replace him in RB22 this weekend. The Team wishes Isack a speedy recovery and thanks Liam for stepping in on short notice".

Ahead of Tsunoda's return to his former team, where he partners rookie Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls separately comments: 

"We thank both Liam and Yuki for their adaptability as the teams prepare for the weekend and we wish Isack a speedy recovery".

Yuki Tsunoda admits that waiting in the wings as a reserve driver leaves him dying to be in the car, making his surprise return to the grid at the Dutch Grand Prix a welcome opportunity to prove what he can do. The news breaks on Wednesday that Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar is unable to drive due to a wrist injury, so Liam Lawson steps up to the top team while he recovers. That leaves an empty seat alongside Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls, which is where Tsunoda comes in. He loses his full-time seat at the end of last season and switches roles to test and reserve driver for both sister teams - as part of that, he attends the majority of this season’s races and closely follows how Max Verstappen, Hadjar, Lawson and Lindblad approach the new regulations. Although Tsunoda tries to learn as much as possible on the sidelines, he confirms that he has less than two days to prepare for his comeback and will have to adapt quickly to this generation of cars. Speaking on media day in Zandvoort, he says:

"It’s great to be back, obviously. When I heard this news, I was in Greece having a nice mix of training and… at that moment, I was probably lying on the beach having a nice time. On Tuesday I think I got the call that potentially I might be in the seat this weekend. When I heard, I was like half excited, half still doubtful because anything can happen, but I was super excited too. It was all confirmed that I’m racing this weekend. I’m super excited and physically I’m feeling ready. I’ve done a couple of TPCs. It will be my first time in this car but still, I’m very excited. As far as I understand, I will be in the seat for now - this weekend - and also I think it depends on Isack’s recovery. I hope that recovery goes pretty fast. I’m not sure about the next Grand Prix but my objective is to have fun. I think I’ve been waiting for a long time. I was watching the screen for the last few months. Since the season started, I’ve been dying to be in the car and compete with the drivers. I think this moment I will just enjoy, and obviously give my 100% performance. Hopefully that will bring some good results".

Racing Bulls recently overtakes Alpine for fifth in the standings and are eager to consolidate their position as best of the rest over the remaining rounds, setting Tsunoda a high bar to reach. It is nevertheless a challenge that he is ready for, especially as he has years of experience working with the team and sees this weekend as a chance to demonstrate why he deserves a seat, with the Japanese driver making no secret of his desire to find a way back into the sport. Vacancies on the 2027 grid are disappearing quickly, with many teams opting to retain their current line-ups, but Tsunoda is aware of how quickly situations can change and hopes he can make the most of this initial one-off return.

"It’s definitely a good opportunity. There’s no better time than this. It’s always better to drive and show what I can do, rather than just talk. I know what I can do but it’s always hard to show that or prove that without driving. Thanks to Red Bull and Racing Bulls for allowing me to have that opportunity. I’ll use the race to show something good about myself. Also, the most important thing is to enjoy it. Obviously I would love to have a seat next year, but those things are not in my control and I don’t have to think about them for now. Like I said, I’ve been dying to have this moment and hit the track in the current car so I’m looking forward to it".

The Formula 1 summer break is enlivened by last week’s news that Cadillac’s founding Team Principal Graeme Lowdon is replaced by Marcin Budkowski. The decision of TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss comes as a surprise to plenty, including drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, with both racers signed by Lowdon for the new team’s first year in what is a two-way show of faith. However, F1 is a sport that is built on change, progress and development in all areas and, while personally sorry to see Lowdon go, the two drivers quickly accept that the team has to find a way to move forwards.

"I think big change like this in the middle of the season is always initially surprising. But then speaking with Dan, he explained to me all the reasons [behind] this change, and I respect that. I think if we just keep everything the same, we're never going to progress. So we've got to change some things. Obviously, it's a real shame that it was Graeme who got out because, first of all, he's a friend of mine. But I also think he's done a great job setting up the team and getting ready to be on the grid in the first race. So my hat off for that. But at the same time, also welcoming Marcin. I don't know him that well from the past, I've seen him around, but for sure in the next days we're going to spend a lot of time together".

Expanding on the decision, Bottas says:

"I think something needed to change. Some issues we've had have been dragging along. But I didn't maybe quite expect that it's such a big change - I was maybe expecting more stuff happening at the factory. But some of these things, we as drivers don't see what needs to be changed sometimes when it comes to these things, because we are obviously very focused on the driving, on the performance, just giving our feedback. We are not the people who structure the team. That's not our job".

Like Bottas, Perez is also looking to the future and the progress being made.

"I think Graeme has played a tremendous part in bringing Cadillac where it is now, together with Jim [Campbell, General Motors VP for Performance and Motorsports] and Dan. I think he's part of the history of the team, and I wish him well on whatever comes next. On Marcin, I think it's really exciting. I haven't been spending much time with him, but I think it was time to change and I think it shows that, although it's only our first year, Cadillac is really willing to move forwards this team as quickly as possible. We hope that with the new leadership that can come soon".

Budkowski now has to prove that he is the man for the job. It is not easy, as Lowdon is respected within the team and around the paddock, with everyone appreciating just what a mammoth task it is to start from scratch and make it to the first race of the 2026 season.

"There's been a change of leadership at the head of the team. It's been a decision made by the top leadership and the owners and the shareholders of the team. I'm honoured to have been picked to lead that following phase. I have immense respect and admiration for what's been achieved so far by Graeme for building this team from the ground up, recruiting his people, and actually showing up and racing, and with a level of competitiveness that I think is reasonable for a new team. Yes, there are glitches. Yes, there are reliability issues that maybe are not the level you expect from a Formula 1 team. But there's a huge complexity in some areas, and the brake area is one of them. It's one of these situations when you fix one thing, something else goes wrong, and you learn as you as you do it. It's painful. At this stage, we're really in the learning phase. We need the mileage, we need the laps to get as much learning as possible, as much data as possible".

Budkowski gets his first taste of what he is taking on when, on Monday, he is given his initial tour of the brand-new Silverstone base, with staff officially moving in that very day. After meeting and greeting his new colleagues, he has a couple of days to get an initial understanding of what the issues are before flying to Amsterdam on Wednesday evening ahead of being plunged into his first race weekend at Zandvoort.

"I'm focusing on listening and understanding how the team operates. Who's there, how it's structured, how it's organised, the processes in place, starting to get a feel for the areas that need prioritising or need improving. I've had two days of proper work. I'm going to need a bit more time, but I must say I'm impressed having seen where the people were working before, and knowing how tight the deadlines were to build a team from scratch, to design, build, homologate a car in time for testing, and to go testing".

Budkowski also acknowledges that moving Cadillac forward is a very different challenge from the one Lowdon faces in building it up from scratch.

"These guys have done a cracking job, with Graeme and the team. I'm impressed. At the same time, recruiting, growing, getting everybody in place. So there's a lot that has been done there. Equally, in the time they had available, they had to take some shortcuts. And these shortcuts, some of them are biting us a little bit. For me, these guys have gone to war, and the decisions you make in wartime are different to the decisions you make in peacetime. And I think if they had three years instead of one to do it, they would have done it a little bit differently. In some areas, they would have done it better. But it's not a criticism, because what they've done in the time they had, I don't think there's a lot of people who could have done that. So it's a great foundation. It's a great starting point. There are things that are actually very, very good. There are things that need attention, and also there's potentially some reprioritisation to be done in terms of what's important".

Red Bull announces that Max Verstappen commits to a new deal that sees him race for the team through to 2030. The Dutchman first joins the Milton Keynes-based outfit in 2016 in a mid-season promotion from sister team Toro Rosso (now named Racing Bulls), and goes on to achieve a spectacular 71 victories and four Drivers’ Championships. His most recent triumph in 2024 is followed by McLaren clinching both titles last season, when a stunning comeback by Verstappen results in him losing out on a fifth championship by just two points to Lando Norris. However, Red Bull drops further down the pecking order under the new regulations, leading to speculation that the 28-year-old is beginning to explore options at other teams despite his previous contract lasting until 2028. The announcement, which comes in the build-up to Verstappen’s home race in the Netherlands, brings a definitive end to the rumours and highlights his belief that under the leadership of Laurent Mekies, Red Bull will return to race-winning ways sooner rather than later. In a team statement, Red Bull labels their relationship with Verstappen one of the most successful and defining partnerships in F1 history, adding that the latest deal represents a powerful statement of mutual trust and ambition - and a shared decision to shape the future together. Reflecting on the announcement, Verstappen says:

"I am really pleased with the contract extension. We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again. This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue. I want to thank Red Bull, Laurent and everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing for the trust they put in me. I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home. I came to the team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely and we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships. To continue this journey with the same team that I have been with my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do. Getting to work with Laurent now for over a year has also been great, I see a clear vision he has for the team. Everyone in Milton Keynes believes in what we are building and I am looking forward to the next chapter, fighting for more victories and competing for championships as we continue to shape the future of this team. To make this announcement during the last Grand Prix at Zandvoort is a great moment for me as well. Hopefully we can give the fans a special send-off for the final race".

Mekies is promoted to the role of Team Principal in July 2025 and takes the squad through a rebuilding phase over the following year, leading the decision to maximise last season's opportunities at the cost of having an underdeveloped car at the beginning of 2026. Extending his star driver's contract is arguably the greatest achievement of his tenure to date, as he says:

"Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull, Oracle Red Bull Racing, as well as F1 and motorsport as a whole. Very few partnerships in sport achieve what Max and this team have. Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Oracle Red Bull Racing special: uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention. His impact on our team and on Red Bull’s motorsport story has been transformational, and he has been fundamental to everything we have accomplished together. The decision to continue our journey together is rooted in the trust Max and the team have built over many years, as well as Max’s confidence in our people, our culture and our vision for the future. Forged through championship-winning success, intense battles and challenging moments alike, this relationship has only grown stronger - making it one of Formula One’s greatest success stories. But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to achieve and more history to write. Together, we continue to raise the bar with the same determination that brought us to the top of the sport and an even greater faith in what we can achieve. Much will evolve as we move forward, but our ambition remains unchanged - united by one direction, one vision, one team".

Max Verstappen shares an insight into the reasons why he chooses to remain with the Red Bull team, with the Dutchman explaining that he does not feel the need to drive in another colour. Despite previously holding a deal that keeps him with the squad until the end of 2028, speculation persists over whether Verstappen could opt to leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit for a rival team. However, the rumours are brought to a halt on Thursday when it is announced that Verstappen signs a contract extension with Red Bull that sees him race with them until the end of 2030. During media day at the Dutch Grand Prix, the four-time World Champion speaks in more detail about why he decides to extend his time with the outfit, his belief in the people, and why the departure of some high-profile names does not change his mind… In his initial reflections on his new deal, Verstappen explains that his relationship with Team Principal Laurent Mekies - who takes on the role midway through 2025 - has been really good, very open and transparent from the start, before adding that it feels absolutely right to continue here. Having long been a part of the Red Bull family - making his F1 debut with the then-called Toro Rosso outfit in 2015 prior to joining the main Red Bull squad during 2016 - Verstappen also acknowledges a goal he sets out with the drinks company’s late founder Dietrich Mateschitz.

"I always said, and I said this when Dietrich was still alive, I said my goal and target is to finish my career in this team. I think we are getting close to that. I mean, of course, there are still a lot of years ahead. But that's still the target, so that's why I'm very proud to extend, and of course try to get back to the top. We have tasted a lot being on top. That's why I think you are very hungry to try and get there again".

Reflecting further on the possibility of completing his Formula 1 career with Red Bull, Verstappen add:

"I like it here. I think it would be a great story if that would be possible like that, being picked up by Red Bull and finishing your career within one team. Because I don't feel the need to change just to change, and I don’t necessarily need to drive in another colour. My favourite colour is blue, so that helps! But, yeah, it would be, of course, an amazing story if that would happen".

The 2026 season features some ups and downs so far for Red Bull, with the team yet to stand on the top step of the podium. However, Verstappen is confident that the championship-winning squad will find their way back.

"You need to feel good where you're at. If you are in the fastest car but you don't feel well, I don't think that's going to last very long. I feel very good in this team. I have the belief in the people, that we can get back to the top, and yeah, time will tell. I mean, that's what we are targeting. I still want to win races, I'm hungry to win more".

Verstappen goes on to praise the performance so far of the debut power unit produced by Red Bull Powertrains, but adds that this is also an area where they will continue to push for more going forward.

"I think you've seen so far this year that the power unit has been quite strong, and we're very proud of what has been delivered, but you're never satisfied. You always want to be better, so that's always been the target also within the team. We always want to be better, it's never good enough, so that's also the target for the coming years".

Verstappen uses the word family more than once when speaking to the media about his decision to remain at Red Bull, an element that he concedes has helped in the discussions over his future.

"The talks have been very good, between Oliver Mintzlaff, with Laurent, the shareholders. When you've been working together for a long time, you know each other quite well. That's why there was also no immediate rush, and that's why I also never really had anything to say publicly, because it was just step-by-step, we were getting closer. And for me, I was never really stressed about it, so that's why for me, those questions before in the media, I say what I want to say otherwise I don't say anything, so it doesn't really change anything. But at least for the team also now we can just focus ahead on the years, and we can keep pushing together".

A number of high-profile figures have departed Red Bull in recent years, including Christian Horner and Adrian Newey, while Verstappen’s long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is set to leave to join McLaren in 2028. Verstappen reiterates that this does not affect his close relationship with the team, explaining:

"A few names have left, but at the same time, it’s still my family. I never felt that desire or need to change just to change, to another team, to try and win somewhere else. If I feel well within the team here, why should I? Because I know that they do everything for me, and they know that I do everything for them once I'm on the track and trying to get the results, so for me it does not feel like that, with some of the other drivers who choose to change teams. But yeah, I'm just happy to be here and continue to drive here".

Verstappen also acknowledge that while some team members have left:

"At the same time you're looking at new talent and bringing other people in, and that's what we're doing. Time will tell how successful we will be, but that's the same for everyone because no one can promise that they are going to win next year or the year after. So I do have to believe that with the people here that we can, and now we just have to work for it".

George Russell declares that his seat at Mercedes never feels under threat despite speculation that Max Verstappen is a target for Team Principal Toto Wolff, which comes to an end now that he signs a long-term contract with Red Bull. The Briton is in the midst of his best chance to challenge for the Drivers’ Championship since he joins Mercedes in 2022, and while the details of his own multi-year deal are not public, it’s understood that he remains there next season. Despite links to both the Silver Arrows and McLaren, Verstappen becomes the latest driver to confirm his future plans as he commits to staying at Red Bull until the end of 2030. Asked ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix whether the rumours are a source of irritation, Russell replies:

"Maybe those conversations were slightly more public than the conversations his team had with the likes of McLaren or Ferrari or whoever else it may have been. That's just the nature of the sport. Drivers talk with different teams, teams talk with different drivers. Everyone has to just see what their cards are. My seat never felt under threat, and I felt 100% security with Toto and the team and that obviously now continues".

Wolff confirms earlier in the year that his team don’t want to change their driver line-up of Russell and Kimi Antonelli, who currently leads the standings with a 59-point advantage over his team mate. With Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton splitting the pair, Russell is keen to shake off the issues that prevent him from maximising each weekend - like reliability struggles and a lack of pace relative to Antonelli - and recover some lost ground.

"I think every race weekend now is going to be very important and you want to build that momentum. Obviously, we've got a number of triple headers coming into the last part of the year. We're only just at the halfway point. So, yeah, just continue to keep working. There was a good phase in the middle of the first half, and then the last three races were tough for different reasons. Just looking forward to starting again and trying to get back into a good groove. I know I need to improve the performance if I want to be in the fight. That's the main priority and if the performance improves and the points produce, it's as simple as that really. I don't want to overthink it too much - I just want to trust in my ability and drive a little bit more instinctively. Maybe that's what I hadn't been doing before the break. Just going to go in with an open mind and see where it takes me".

Lewis Hamilton has faith that Ferrari will close the gap to Mercedes over the remainder of the season, with the Briton putting his trust in their improved understanding of the car and planned upgrades. Hamilton enjoys a significantly stronger year with Ferrari compared to his 2025 campaign, having achieved his maiden victory for the team in Barcelona and accumulated a further three podium finishes. His consistent performances lead to his status as the only driver on the grid to have scored at every race weekend so far and he currently sits P2 in the Drivers’ Championship, 50 points adrift of Kimi Antonelli. However, the second Mercedes driver, George Russell, is only nine points behind Hamilton, while McLaren and Red Bull show remarkable improvement shortly before the summer break, leaving the 41-year-old acutely aware of how tight the competition is.

"I think hopefully we're going to continue to progress in development. The team are working really hard and I think we've got our first little step this weekend which I'm really grateful for. Everyone is under a huge amount of pressure to bring parts, as every team is, but we are going in the right direction with the car. Obviously Mercedes are still the leaders, McLaren are now up in there and obviously Red Bull are super quick - four teams that are all very close. But we just focus on doing our job the best we can. I think we can do a better job in the second half, so that's the goal. It is a development race, always. Mercedes have been leading all year and so it's been a development catch-up. We've been trying to catch up, adding bits to the car constantly, as everyone is adding bits as well. We've just got to continue to try and close the gap, which I really do believe we can. I don't think we're too far away. Ferrari know the car a lot better and have analysed everything".

His team mate Charles Leclerc, who also has one victory under his belt after triumphing at Silverstone, is reluctant to predict how Ferrari will fare in Zandvoort - last season, both drivers retire following separate crashes.

"Obviously Mercedes still remain the favourite, but I think on a track like this that is so technical, on paper we should be pretty strong. At the same time, historically it’s been a very difficult track for the team, so I’m a bit divided between the two expectations. I didn’t spend much time thinking about expectations. I’m much more focused on the process to be as ready as possible for this weekend. I think we’ve done our homework. It’s good to be back on track after a few weeks of holidays, and I’m looking forward to this weekend".

Lando Norris identifies the biggest factor giving him confidence that he can be in the fight with the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari during the remainder of the season, with the second half getting underway this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix. After a challenging start to the campaign for McLaren - which includes a double DNS for the team at Round 2 in China - the Woking-based outfit appears more competitive in recent times, culminating in an impressive victory for Norris last time out in Hungary. While the Briton concedes that the win boosts his and the team’s hopes for what might be possible in Zandvoort, he also acknowledges that there is still further work to be done when it comes to understanding the upgrades they run with at the Hungaroring.

"I'm never the guy who gets too far ahead of myself, so I'm not going to come in here thinking that we should just win the race again. But our goals are set high, so we want to believe we can. I think, with the new parts we had, with the new floor we had in Budapest, we just need to understand if it's just brought performance everywhere, every track, every type of surface, all types of corners, whether it was more specific to there. So, I think we're still patient with understanding how much performance that really brought us. But it was clear we took a step forward and that's a good sign. We still want to believe we can be very competitive here".

Reflecting on whether the characteristics of the Dutch circuit might suit McLaren’s car, Norris add:

"In some ways it's not too different here to Budapest, but it's also different in different ways: with the wind conditions, obviously much colder, so we have to just wait and see. I think it was clear what the weaknesses are of the car, what was better with the car, but the performance we had on Sunday especially, was probably almost a better performance than we had at any point last year. So I think it still shows that we can kind of ebb and flow, and still be a little bit more inconsistent than we were at times last season. We're still trying to understand everything perfectly with the car. But it's a track that I've enjoyed, I've always liked, and we performed well here as a team in the past. I'm hoping this weekend is the same again".

Despite still trying to gain a full understanding of the MCL40, Norris issues an assured answer when asked what makes him feel positive about McLaren’s chances of battling at the front during the second half of the campaign.

"What are the factors? McLaren is the team I'm with. That's the biggest factor. The people we have, what we've achieved over the last few years and the leadership we have within the team, from, I guess, part of it from myself, but also from Andrea Stella, from Zak Brown, the team leaders within McLaren. Just everyone's in a very, very good mindset at the minute, and in the mindset you need and you have to have to fight against the best in the world, in terms of all the teams and drivers, and to fight for World Championships. So, my team give me plenty of reassurance. And also, if I drive as well as I did in Budapest, and I have done for a lot of this season, then I'm very confident in myself too".

With only a single hour of practice ahead of Sprint Qualifying later on Friday afternoon, teams and drivers immediately head out once the session gets underway at 12:30 local time to gather valuable data. But conditions are far from optimal, with the track declared wet as damp patches remain scattered around the circuit, and the early runners venture out on the intermediate tyre. After only several laps, though, drivers soon switch to Pirelli's slick rubber and times begin to plummet as the track continues to dry. Antonelli, who leads the drivers' standings by 50 points heading into the second half of the season, soon appears at the top of the timing screens, the Mercedes driver posting a 1m 15.351s on the medium tyre as the session approaches the 15-minute mark. As team-mate Russell goes fastest after becoming the first driver to dip below the 1m 15s barrier - setting a 1m 14.951s - Carlos Sainz returns to the pits after running wide and into the gravel at Turn 13. The Williams driver is soon off the road again at Turn 11, while at the top of the times Ferrari begins to showcase its pace, with Charles Leclerc and then Lewis Hamilton going fastest - the latter registering a 1m 14.259s. Just before the halfway point, Antonelli suffers a spin on the exit of Turn 10, explaining over the radio:

"I don't know what happened there".

Before recovering unharmed after showcasing the lack of track grip. Leclerc's 1m 14.146s remains the fastest time until the final 10 minutes as drivers focus on long runs before switching to the soft, red-walled tyre for pure one-lap pace. Leclerc, Hamilton and Norris all reach the top before Antonelli sets a 1m 12.949s in the final minutes to end the session fastest as rain threatens to fall at the chequered flag. The Italian finishes 0.121s clear of Norris, followed by Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri. Audi's Nico Hulkenberg leads Pierre Gasly's Alpine, with the second Audi of Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvid Lindblad's Racing Bulls completing the top 10.

The teams and drivers only have a single hour of Free Practice to learn as much as possible before Sprint Qualifying gets underway at 4:30 p.m. local time, with no trace of the light rain that affects earlier running. As SQ1 kicks off with every competitor on the mandatory medium compound, it is the Mercedes pair of Antonelli and Russell who become the first to enjoy the increased grip of the now fully dry track. Looking to match his FP1 result, the Italian pushes too hard on his first flying lap and rattles over the gravel, forcing him to abandon the attempt and dive back into the pits in the hope that no significant damage has been done. That opens the door for Russell to set the early benchmark, which is soon improved upon by his rivals - first Leclerc, then Hamilton, and finally Norris, who posts a 1m 13.071s. Just as Mercedes confirms that there are no immediate consequences of Antonelli’s error, Piastri slots into P2, with both McLaren drivers appearing to enjoy their latest upgrades at Circuit Zandvoort. Another team sporting updates is Aston Martin, including a newly updated Honda power unit, but its potential isn’t fully maximised by Alonso as he locks up at Turn 1 and runs wide, summing up the squad’s scrappy session. It is also later confirmed that the Spaniard’s Straight Line Mode isn’t working on his rear wing. That leaves him at the bottom of the order behind Haas’ Bearman, Sainz - who recently confirms he will remain at Williams next season - the second Aston Martin of Stroll, and the Cadillac duo of Bottas and Perez. Meanwhile, Leclerc snatches P1 ahead of Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Russell and an eye-catching Lawson as the lead Red Bull driver. With 16 drivers left in the session, there is slightly more breathing space for everyone to complete their build laps before battling for a valuable place in the top 10. Norris continues his strong performance from SQ1 as he breaks into the 1m 12s bracket, which is soon eclipsed by Piastri’s effort - he goes nearly five-tenths clear at the top, with Leclerc and Hamilton slotting in behind to demote Norris to fifth. 

The Silver Arrows are next to deliver their first hot laps, but even they aren’t able to beat Piastri’s time of 1m 12.026s as Russell improves to P3 while Antonelli takes P5. Satisfied with their times, they return to the pit lane along with Ferrari. McLaren elects to stay out and claim a 1-2 on the timesheets, with Gasly, Verstappen, Lindblad and Bortoleto squeezing into SQ3 behind the top three teams. Unfortunately for Lawson and Tsunoda, neither is able to progress and both are eliminated along with Colapinto, Hulkenberg, Ocon and Albon. With just eight minutes on the clock and an enforced switch to soft tyres, the remaining drivers are eager to make the most of the evolving track conditions, turning SQ3 into a tense one-lap shoot-out. It isn’t until the final four minutes that the Dutch fans are treated to action as Norris heads out to capitalise on the clean air and prepare for his last opportunity to secure pole position. Competition is incredibly tight as the fastest sectors are shared between McLaren and Mercedes, with Norris taking provisional pole with a time of 1m 11.608s. Antonelli can’t find enough to snatch the position, but Russell can - he moves into P1 by just 0.041s. As the other frontrunners finish their laps, Leclerc takes P3 ahead of Piastri, dropping the Italian to P5 in the final order. He is followed by Verstappen and Hamilton, while Gasly, Bortoleto and Lindblad complete the top 10. George Russell concedes that his confidence isn't exactly at my highest prior to taking pole in Sprint Qualifying at the Dutch Grand Prix, with the Briton admitting that he tries to approach the event in a similar way to the first race of the season. It hasn’t been the smoothest run for Russell prior to F1’s traditional summer break, the Mercedes driver suffering a first-lap retirement in Belgium before having to settle for P7 one week later at the Hungaroring. However, the 28-year-old looks in strong form as he grabs pole for the Sprint in Zandvoort, his fastest time of 1m 11.567s putting him 0.041s ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, while the other Silver Arrows car of Kimi Antonelli places fifth. When it is put to him after the session that he must feel delighted with the lap, Russell answers:

"Yeah, absolutely. It's been a little while since I've been top of the timesheets in any session, to be honest - I can't even remember the last time, so it's good to remind myself I’ve still got it and haven't forgotten how to drive. The break came at a good point. Of course it’s only for the Sprint - another Sprint Qualifying session, still got the job to do tomorrow. The main Qualifying is going to be the key one, and McLaren look really fast, Ferrari look quick. It's been a real surprise to us as a team, these past couple of races but, yeah, we're in a good spot".

Russell goes on to explain how getting himself into the right frame of mind before Sprint Qualifying seems to have paid off, given that he has not felt at his most confident ahead of the weekend in Zandvoort. The British driver says:

"I've got to be honest, I came into this weekend with a real open mind because I had no idea how it was going to go, confidence level wasn't exactly at my highest, but just trying to remember that feeling of what I needed from myself and the car, and just go in and almost treat it like the first race of the season again and not overthink things. That seems to work well for me. It's very difficult to actually put those words into action, but I always know when I'm in the right frame of mind, come Q3, I can always deliver. It's just ensuring I'm in that right frame of mind ahead of that point".

In terms of what might help him to convert his pole into a win for Saturday’s Sprint, Russell explain:

"I think just a good start, to be honest. I think it's going to be a very challenging circuit to overtake. The Ferrari's race pace looked exceptionally strong this morning. We looked quite offset, to honest, in the order of three or four tenths. We'll see if that translates into tomorrow, but a clean start and that should be enough".

Lando Norris concedes that it is a little bit disappointing to miss out on pole position during Sprint Qualifying in Zandvoort, but is more than happy to focus on the positives of another strong performance for McLaren. The Briton converts pole into victory last time out in Hungary, and with his team sporting new upgrades this weekend, there is optimism that he can replicate the achievement in the Sprint Race. He gets off to a fantastic start, finishing P2 behind Charles Leclerc in SQ1 and Oscar Piastri in SQ2 before claiming the provisional top spot in the final stage of Sprint Qualifying with a time of 1m 11.608s. Mercedes’ George Russell proves to be the only driver able to improve on his lap, finding a slim advantage of 0.041s to demote Norris to P2 once again. When he is informed after the session of how tight the gap is, Norris replies:

"Oh, okay. Still something! I think [I’m] reasonably happy. It’s still a good position. It was a reasonable lap, and considering how close it was, it easily could have been first, it easily could have been fourth or fifth. A good Sprint Qualifying. Close between all the teams, which is exactly what we expected. But yeah, just of course, a little bit disappointing to be P2 instead of P1".

The result nevertheless suggests that McLaren’s pace at the Hungaroring is not a one-off, as they are firmly in the mix with Mercedes and Ferrari throughout Friday’s running in the Netherlands, giving Norris hope that they can extract even more over the remaining sessions.

"I think just the step onto the soft, there was probably a little bit more grip that I didn’t quite get out of it, from the medium to the soft for SQ3. I think maybe I could have just pushed it a little bit more, but I think otherwise the car has been performing, and looks like it’s continued its strong performance from Budapest. Plenty of positives, and hopefully that just continues for the rest of the weekend. There are some things I can work on, some things we can maybe get out of the car for tomorrow’s Qualifying. We’ve started the weekend strong, so I’m happy with that".

His team-mate Piastri impresses on the medium tyres in SQ2 but can’t quite make the top three in the final shoot-out, joining Norris in attributing the shortfall to the tricky switch to the soft compound. His effort of 1m 11.666s means he ultimately qualifies fourth for the Sprint, but is only 0.044s away from Leclerc and 0.058s off the time that earns Norris a place on the front row.

"I think just the soft lap wasn’t quite as good. I feel like it’s often the case this year that you put the soft tyre on and it’s not quite as nice as the balance you have on the medium. Compared to where I was this morning in practice, I’m much happier. We changed a few things, and I was a lot happier. I think that’s the positives, the progress from this morning. Obviously it was pretty close, and I feel like with a better lap maybe we could have had pole, but I’m learning and improving, so that’s the most important thing. I think it’s going to be tight between us, Ferrari and Mercedes, by the looks of things. It’s going to be all about filling in those last little details and gaps, and seeing what we can do".

Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton reflect on their contrasting Sprint Qualifying performances at the Dutch Grand Prix, with the former describing it as my best Qualifying lap this year. Leclerc will start third for Saturday’s 24-lap Sprint, with just 0.055s covering himself, polesitter George Russell and Lando Norris in second. The Monegasque driver is pleased with his performance as Formula 1 returns from its summer break, especially after only one hour of practice earlier on Friday.

"I will have preferred to start first but at the end of the day, I'm very happy about today because honestly, I think it's my best Qualifying lap this year. That means we are doing something right also with the feeling. Doesn't mean it stays there forever, but at least it's good steps in the right direction and especially after such a long break, you kind of want that feeling to start the second half. It was a good effort, unfortunately we just missed pole but at least we are more or less in the mix".

Ferrari team-mate Hamilton enters the weekend second in the drivers' standings and as Kimi Antonelli's closest challenger, with the seven-time World Champion 50 points behind heading into the second half of the season. But the Briton is disappointed with his performance in Sprint Qualifying, as a small change from practice means Hamilton can only finish P7, more than six tenths behind Russell.

"Not a good session unfortunately. This is the way it is. FP1 felt good, we made subtle adjustments to the car then we got into Qualifying and it was a completely different car. Need to figure out what went wrong and then we'll do our best tomorrow".

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is left to ponder what might have been after ending Friday’s Sprint Qualifying session at Zandvoort down in fifth position, following a trip through the gravel in the opening phase. Antonelli, who tops FP1 earlier in the day, runs wide at the penultimate corner on his first lap of SQ1, forcing him back to the pits for car checks, which reveal significant floor damage and compromise the Italian’s efforts through SQ2 and SQ3. Asked post-session if he has been affected by the off-track excursion, Antonelli says:

"Oh yeah, big time! I had a couple holes in the floor. When I came in, [the team] initially said it was a loss of 25 points of downforce. They tried to repair it as much as possible, but definitely the damage was still there. I was struggling a lot in the low speed corners. But it is what it is. It was a little bit too much entry speed in the last corner, in that lap one, I lost the rear and went through the gravel. That was pretty much it. Obviously also it was not easy to build the confidence back, but still decently close, and we’ll have another go tomorrow".

Antonelli heads into the Sprint 50 points ahead of nearest title rival Lewis Hamilton, who starts seventh, and 59 points clear of team-mate George Russell, who bags pole position. Discussing his chances of making up lost ground in the 100-kilometre dash, the 19-year-old adds:

"We’ll try to do the best race we can. Of course, it’s very close at the front, so it’s not going to be easy to overtake. We’ll try to do the best we can, even with the damage, and then from Qualifying we’re going to tidy the car up and go again".

Max Verstappen admits that he and Red Bull need to understand why they struggle for car balance during Sprint Qualifying ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, with the home hero only able to achieve sixth on the grid. The four-time World Champion returns from the summer break as the centre of attention in the Zandvoort paddock, having announced a multi-year deal that keeps him at Red Bull until the end of the 2030 season. The new agreement comes after the team finds more performance under the new-for-2026 regulations, with Verstappen taking three podiums in the last four Grands Prix. The 28-year-old has still yet to win a race this season, though, and despite tasting success in front of his home fans on three previous occasions, it appears Verstappen is on the back foot this weekend. After just one hour of practice, Verstappen is only able to qualify for Saturday’s 24-lap Sprint in sixth, more than half a second adrift of polesitter George Russell.

"I guess we out-qualified one car [from Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton in seventh], but yeah, just a bit tricky to find the grip, the balance. It was already a step forward from FP1, but of course still lacking a little bit to be a little bit further up the road. It’s something that we need to understand. Now, what we can do with the balance for tomorrow, to find a bit more grip, really. A bit of balance, a bit of grip, to close the gap a bit".

Verstappen’s best result in a Sprint this season comes in Miami with P5, and generally he and the team find a chunk of performance ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix. When asked if that gives him confidence that there’s still a lot to play for this weekend, Verstappen replies:

"Hit-and-miss, but let’s see what we can find. I cannot tell you right now".

After a few weeks off for the sport’s traditional summer break, the 2026 F1 season resumes with an action-packed day at Zandvoort on Friday as the drivers embark on one hour of practice before heading into Sprint Qualifying. While championship leader Antonelli leads the way during the weekend’s sole practice hour, it is his Mercedes team mate Russell who sweeps through to take pole for the Sprint, with the Briton lining up ahead of Norris, Leclerc and Piastri. Antonelli, meanwhile, has to settle for P5. Elsewhere, Lawson claims 11th place at the wheel of a Red Bull - the New Zealander substituting for an injured Isack Hadjar - while his Racing Bulls replacement Tsunoda is just one position behind in 12th. In the build-up to the Sprint, it is confirmed that both Sainz and Alonso will start from the pit lane due to set-up changes being made on their respective cars. The remaining 20 cars, meanwhile, head to the grid as start time nears amid dry but overcast conditions in Zandvoort. When the tyre blankets are removed, it is revealed that most of the field has bolted on the medium compound, with the exceptions of Leclerc and Bearman on the soft. Prior to the 24-lap encounter, the stewards announce that Bortoleto will be investigated after the Sprint for an unsafe release. But for the time being, attentions are focused on the 100 km dash, and there is early trouble for Perez as the Cadillac is wheeled back into the pit lane while the rest of the pack sets off on the formation lap. When the lights go out for the rest of the grid, Russell makes a strong launch to hold the lead, while the sister Mercedes of Antonelli is quick to snatch P4 from Piastri through Turn 2. Norris, meanwhile, soon finds himself under pressure from Leclerc as Verstappen closes in on Piastri. A little further back, Colapinto gains a position on Tsunoda during the first lap and tries to challenge Lawson on the second tour before having to back out. Up at the front, Russell stretches his advantage out to one second over Norris by Lap 3 - and at the back, Perez belatedly joins the action as the Cadillac team tries to gain some valuable data from the event. Russell’s lead starts to come down a little on the following lap, with Norris, Leclerc, Antonelli and Piastri all covered by five seconds. Antonelli is looking particularly racy, the Italian rapidly chasing down Leclerc in the fight for third. 

Elsewhere, Verstappen has Hamilton on his tail. There is disappointment over at Audi as Hulkenberg pits to retire the car early on due to a power issue, while Sainz receives a warning from the stewards for being out of position at the Safety Car line during the start. As Lap 10 ticks down, Russell breaks the Overtake Mode mark by stretching his lead out to 1.6s. To make things worse for Norris, the Briton now has Leclerc only 0.8s behind him, the McLaren driver reporting that he has no rear in the car. By this stage, the drivers in the points-paying positions are Russell, Norris, Leclerc, Antonelli, Piastri, Verstappen, Hamilton and Gasly. Elsewhere, Lawson closes to half a second behind his usual team mate Lindblad in the battle for P10 as the former continues his run in the Red Bull. Further ahead, Leclerc gets even closer to Norris, and Verstappen starts to pile pressure on Piastri, having seen Hamilton’s earlier challenge fall away. With eight laps remaining, Hamilton again edges nearer to Verstappen - bringing the gap back down to under one second - while Leclerc is nail-bitingly close to Norris, the Monegasque moving to within a few tenths as the scrap over the final top-three slot continues. The decisive move comes on Lap 18 as Leclerc dives down the inside of Norris into Turn 1 - leaving the reigning World Champion vulnerable to Antonelli. Meanwhile, Albon is informed by his Williams team that they are expecting level 1 rain in two laps’ time - meaning that, if this happens, it will arrive near the very end of the Sprint Race. There appear to be conflicting reports over this, with Verstappen told that the showers will not happen before the close of the event despite some dark clouds gathering. Back on the track, Antonelli remains over half a second adrift of Norris entering into the penultimate lap, with Verstappen a similar distance away from Piastri in the battle for fifth. While Hulkenberg rejoins the action following his earlier retirement, all eyes are on Antonelli to see if he can make a move on Norris - but up ahead it is victory for Russell, who takes the chequered flag just as rain starts to fall. Leclerc follows 1.36s behind in second, while Antonelli is unable to find a way past Norris and has to settle for fourth behind the World Champion. Piastri adds to McLaren’s tally in fifth, and the final points on offer are taken by Verstappen, Hamilton and Gasly.

George Russell reflects on his dominant victory in the Zandvoort Sprint, with the Briton explaining how he relies on effective tyre management to keep rivals like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris at bay. Starting from pole position - which he beats McLaren’s Norris to by just 0.041s in Sprint Qualifying - Russell executes a clean start at lights out to maintain the lead, where he remains for all 24 laps. His advantage rarely exceeds 1.5s but Russell manages to avoid any significant challenges from those behind him, even after Leclerc steadily closes the gap following a key overtake on Norris with six laps to go.

"Obviously a great start to the weekend. The three of us were just talking - if there was one more lap, it would’ve potentially been a very different end to the race so I was glad the rain came when it did. I knew if there were going to be any overtakes, they were going to be towards the end of the race, so I knew I just wanted to manage my tyres a little bit through the high-speed corners and have a bit more in the tank come the end of the race. I knew if Charles got past Lando, he would’ve been fast. As soon as I saw Charles behind, I sort of dropped the hammer a little bit and the two of us pulled away".

The result marks Russell’s third Sprint win of the season after he also triumphs in China and Canada, but he has yet to win a Grand Prix on the same weekend as he claims a Sprint victory. He is nevertheless encouraged by the small step in narrowing his Mercedes team mate Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ standings, with the Italian bouncing back from a challenging Sprint Qualifying to improve from P5 to P4. Antonelli says:

"I think obviously starting at the back is always a bit difficult. Today was the confirmation that you need to start at the front, because it’s hard to overtake, and the dirty air is quite effective, especially the longer you go throughout the race. I think the pace was quite okay, but of course I need to do a better Qualifying".

Charles Leclerc is pleased that his and Ferrari’s gamble to start on the soft tyres in the Dutch Grand Prix Sprint pays off, with the Monegasque believing that his climb to P2 shows the squad has done our homework. When the tyre blankets are removed ahead of the 24-lap event, it is revealed that only Leclerc and Haas’ Ollie Bearman have bolted on the C4 rubber, as the rest of the field opts for the C3 medium compound. The decision proves to be a good one for Leclerc, who fights McLaren’s Lando Norris for second place throughout the Sprint before eventually finding a way past on Lap 18. Asked what he is thinking when he realises at the start that most of the grid are running the medium tyres, Leclerc answers:

"Always when you’re the only one doing something, it’s either very right or very wrong. I think it was a good choice in the end so that’s good - it means we did our homework well in FP1. Surely when I was on the grid, you just hope to have made the right choice".

After having to bide his time behind Norris, the Ferrari driver admits that he is surprised to gain a place towards the end of the Sprint Race given his choice of tyre.

"I knew Lando didn’t have much deployment on the main straight so I knew I had to maximise that, but then we still arrived at the braking point more or less at the same level. It worked out, which was good. I did not expect to gain positions at the end of the race with these soft tyres - if anything, it would’ve been at the start".

The result marks a positive start to the resumption of the campaign for Leclerc and Ferrari, with the 28-year-old adding: 

"The car has been feeling good since FP1, which is a good thing to start the second half of the season like that".

On the other side of the garage, Lewis Hamilton finishes sixth. The seven-time World Champion does not feel comfortable with his car during Friday’s Sprint Qualifying, an issue that he admits persists into Saturday.

"It was the same through Sprint Qualifying, as you would expect, which was a bit frustrating. But even if the car felt better, it’s so hard to overtake here, especially on the same tyre. I think we’ll definitely make some changes. Hopefully we can get the car to be a bit better, closer to P1, first practice, and hopefully we can fight from there".

Lando Norris believes that McLaren are not quick enough with their current set-up in Zandvoort, where he drops behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and clings onto the final podium position during the Sprint Race. The reigning World Champion misses out on pole position by just 0.041s to Mercedes’ George Russell, but the small margin suggests that he may be able to fight for victory over the 24-lap event. Although he starts well and stays close to the leader, his pace gradually falls away and he reports that he has no rear, allowing Leclerc to reduce the gap before he eventually takes the inside line at Turn 1 and sails past on Lap 18. Norris is then at the mercy of Kimi Antonelli, who ultimately can’t find a way to improve to the podium and crosses the line in fourth place behind the McLaren driver. Reflecting on the Sprint Race, Norris says:

"Not a bad result. Not the best - would’ve been nice to be a little bit faster today but Charles was just too quick. I don’t think it was the tyres, we just lacked pace. We’re not quick enough and we have some work to do. We’re very good in high speed, just the car’s not performing to the level it needs to in the slow-speed corners. There’s not a lot we can do. I think we’re optimising a lot of things. It’s still a good result. I think we still have to be happy with the progress we’ve been making but we need more. We’ll see what we can do, we’ll work hard. The team are working hard already so hopefully we can do a better job".

While Norris doesn’t lose out to Antonelli, his team mate Oscar Piastri does, with the Australian demoted to P5 on the opening lap. He struggles to make progress from there and can’t keep up with the top four, finishing over 10s behind Russell. Track position is key in the Sprint, so on a weekend where McLaren introduce another upgrade package, they will be hoping that they can find some more performance ahead of Qualifying at 4:00 p.m. local time.

"The start was a bit average. Charles went a lot more to the inside than I thought he was going to. I just got pinched in behind him. But the pace wasn’t great either for both cars, it looked like, so some work to do".

A few hours on from Russell’s emphatic Sprint victory, it is time for the drivers to reconvene for a crucial hour of Qualifying. The relatively few changes in the order during the earlier 24-lap event prove that track position is key for the Grand Prix, so the pressure is on for this session. As less than a tenth separates the top four drivers in Friday’s Sprint Qualifying, it looks like competition for the front row will be tight once again, with Russell hoping to take P1 for the third time this weekend. The sun is trying its best to shine over Zandvoort as a queue of eager drivers forms at the end of the pit lane for the start of Q1, and it is Hulkenberg, who is not classified in the Sprint after suffering a power issue, out first for Audi to catch up on his lost track time. With soft tyres the compound of choice, Racing Bulls’ reserve Tsunoda shoots to the top spot in the opening minutes, which doesn’t last for long as the Ferrari and Red Bull competitors demote him down the timesheets. Hamilton leads the field with an initial lap of 1m 13.406s - almost two seconds slower than the best efforts in Sprint Qualifying - before McLaren’s Norris shoots to the top spot, followed by an even better lap from his team mate Piastri. The first runs gradually come to a close as Russell slots into P2 while Hulkenberg and the two Racing Bulls post eye-catching laps to make it into the top 10 ahead of Hamilton, who locks up heading into Turn 1 and takes a short trip into the gravel. On the flip side, the drop zone heading into the final laps features Bortoleto, the Haas duo of Bearman and Ocon, Cadillac’s Bottas and Perez, and Stroll for Aston Martin. Out of those, Bortoleto is undoubtedly the biggest surprise, leaving the Audi man with plenty to do after he makes an error that ruins his lap. Hamilton improves to P2 with just 0.085s separating the top three drivers, but it is the end of the road for Sainz, Alonso, Stroll, Bearman and the Cadillac pair, with Albon squeezing into Q2 along with Ocon while Bortoleto also lifts himself clear of the drop. There is no time to waste as the second phase of Qualifying kicks off and Russell sets the early benchmark of 1m 11.959s, eclipsing his team mate’s effort by around four-tenths as Antonelli continues to find himself off the pace, even with both drivers on fresh softs. 

Norris is the next to shoot into first place but is once again narrowly beaten by Piastri as both seek to capitalise on McLaren’s latest upgrades. The fast corners in the middle sector seem to be their greatest strength, but it is only enough to edge out Ferrari’s Leclerc by a few hundredths. Meanwhile, the usual suspects from outside the four quickest teams occupy the bottom positions shortly before the last flying laps, with Lindblad and Bortoleto hoping to cling onto a place in the top 10 to progress to Q3. Red Bull pair Verstappen and Lawson surge into P3 and P8 respectively, with the latter impressing upon his surprise return to the squad. Those who aren’t as lucky are Gasly, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon and Albon, all of whom fail to progress to the final part of Qualifying. Just 12 minutes remain, and proceedings are set to be thrown off by the risk of rain at what would normally be an ideal time for the surviving drivers to produce their best laps yet. That means that the opening attempts are more important than ever, with the McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri once again leading the way before Russell splits them. The rain begins to fall with five minutes to go, reducing both the temperature and grip on track, but Russell still finds a way to fly on his final lap. His best effort isn’t enough to hold off a charging Norris, who improves again to seize pole position with a time of 1m 11.163s. There is time for others to challenge the Briton, but it isn’t to be for Ferrari as Hamilton and Leclerc can only manage fifth and sixth respectively, just behind the McLaren of Piastri. Red Bull can’t close up either, with Verstappen qualifying ahead of Lawson while Bortoleto and Lindblad round out the order. Lando Norris concedes that he is a little surprised by his pole position in Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix, with the Briton not expecting such a turnaround having felt that he and the team struggle earlier in the day. After losing out on P2 to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the Sprint, Norris returns to action again for Qualifying later on Saturday and McLaren soon catches the eye with their performance, both cars having looked quick during Q1. This continues into Q2 - with Oscar Piastri setting the pace in each of the opening segments - but it is Norris who comes out on top in Q3, the World Champion claiming his 18th career pole position via an effort of 1m 11.163s. Reflecting on his performance after the session, Norris admits that he does not anticipate the result as he explains:

"It doesn’t get any better. A little surprised honestly but, yeah, a decent lap. I was pushing because you see how close it is, so you know every one hundredth, two hundredths can make a big difference in the end. But just a good turnaround, a good turnaround from earlier today where I felt like we struggled a little bit. Today we certainly felt very strong. The team did a good job, so credit to them on trying to get a little bit more out of the car and it certainly helped me today".

Pushed on whether the team has made many changes on the car between the Sprint and Qualifying, Norris responds:

"I mean, we had to try something because what we had before wasn't going to be enough. We made some small changes, nothing that was going to make us gain two tenths or one tenth even, but enough to maybe give me a little more confidence. On a track like Zandvoort, you need good confidence in the car and you want to attack a lot, so I felt like I could do that more today and it paid off".

The 26-year-old concludes that he hopes to put on a good show for the fans on Sunday in what is the last Dutch Grand Prix. On Piastri’s side of the garage, the Australian is also happy with his performance during the session despite having to settle for P4 behind the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

"I mean, honestly, I’ve been a lot happier this weekend. Especially over one lap, I feel like things have come a lot more naturally. Maybe the results haven’t quite translated yet, but I feel like the start of both Qualifyings this weekend I’ve been right there and not having to try and chase my tail, and really find a lot of progress. That’s been nice. Obviously I would have loved a little bit more lap time in Q3, but honestly I feel like my lap was pretty good. I don’t have any major complaints, I just need to keep chipping away".

Looking ahead to his prospects for race day, the 25-year-old add:

"Hopefully we’re a bit stronger. The Sprint wasn’t great in terms of race pace, so hopefully we’re a bit stronger there. We’ll have to wait and see".

George Russell isn’t too disappointed to miss out on pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix, with the Mercedes driver pleased to be back in my groove after qualifying P2 behind Lando Norris. After converting pole to victory in the Zandvoort Sprint, Russell is firmly in contention to secure the top spot again, but ultimately loses out by 0.102s to a sublime final lap by Norris just as the rain begins to fall. The pair even race each other for a short time towards the end of Q3, and Russell hopes to do the same in the Grand Prix whilst simultaneously keeping third-placed Kimi Antonelli at bay, which helps him further reduce his deficit in the standings.

"Lando did a great job, so congrats to him and McLaren. It was a strong session. I thought we had it in there just to fight for pole, but P2 I'm pretty satisfied with, especially after going back after such a tough last few races before the break, sort of get in my groove again and try and fight with them tomorrow. As I said, I feel in a good place and just sort of feel myself again, which is really important. It was really nice to drive around here and these cooler temperatures made the track feel really fast, so it was a real joy for us all to drive and looking forward to the race".

Antonelli understandably isn’t as happy about his Qualifying result as errors continue to blight his weekend in the Netherlands. Bouncing back from missing out on the Sprint podium, he very briefly holds P1 before Russell and Norris complete their efforts but, despite his frustration, only 0.031s separates the Italian from his team mate. Giving his verdict on Qualifying, Antonelli says:

"It was a difficult session for me, overall. I always found myself on the back foot, and then the last lap I did a mistake in Turn 1, I lost a couple of tenths and it was my mistake. A shame for that, because we had a real shot for pole. In Q3 I thought we had a shot, we had a chance. But when I started the last lap in Q3, I saw I was two-tenths down in Sector 1, and I was like, this is going to be difficult, but then I was able to make it up throughout the rest of the lap. So, yeah, shame for that, but all to play for tomorrow".

Max Verstappen is confident that he has not left anything on the table in Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix, with the Red Bull driver having to settle for P7 after experiencing limitations in the car. Having ended the Sprint in sixth earlier in the day, Verstappen tries to give his home fans something to cheer about during the afternoon’s running but is unable to match the pace of McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, putting him in seventh place for Sunday’s race. While he looks to be closer to the front than he has been in SQ3 on Friday, the four-time World Champion concedes that he is disappointed by the gap that remains.

"Unfortunately the car didn’t really change a lot, so I just had the same balance limitations as I had yesterday. There was not a lot more in it, to be honest. I didn’t really feel like I left anything on the table, it’s just not where I wanted to be".

In terms of whether the team needs to wait for more updates to try and move nearer to their rivals - or if more can still be extracted from their current package - the Dutchman adds:

"I think some fundamental things in the car hopefully we can fix for next year. The rest is maybe trying, of course, to find a bit more performance, but we’ll see in the coming races".

Verstappen is joined on the fourth row of the grid by the other Red Bull of Liam Lawson, with the New Zealander left feeling positive about the steps he has taken as he continues to deputise for the injured Isack Hadjar.

"It was good. It was an improvement from yesterday, just putting everything together. To get to that point in Quali is good. I mean, overall we wanted probably more from the car, but obviously my only reference at the moment is Max. I’ve just been trying to get closer through the weekend, and I feel like, honestly, I did a good lap. Overall happy, happy with that side of it. Obviously tomorrow we need to try and stay here at least".

Quizzed on what he would deem as a success in Sunday's Grand Prix, Lawson explain: 

"I mean, at least staying where we are - that would be really, really good. Trying to move forward as well if the opportunity’s there. Obviously I’m still learning this car in the race trim. Today [in the Sprint] was quite tricky. I have a bit of data to review to try and help that".

Lewis Hamilton raves about the unbelievable improvements that Ferrari makes to his car over the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, but his team mate Charles Leclerc is contrastingly left searching for answers after he endures a less than ideal session. The Briton doesn’t enjoy a smooth start to Round 12, having felt uncomfortable in Sprint Qualifying before he fails to progress during the 24-lap event and comes home in P7. As a result, the Briton and Ferrari opt to tweak his set-up with the target of improving during Qualifying, which is crucial as overtaking is more of a challenge at the Circuit Zandvoort. The adjustments work and Hamilton winds up P5, just over three-tenths adrift of George Russell’s pole position time.

"I’m so much happier with the car, honestly. It’s crazy. We changed a lot of things, but it doesn’t really look that big. But the difference it makes in the car is unbelievable. The difficult thing is I started FP1 with good confidence, I lost it all in [Sprint] Qualifying, and all through the Sprint Race I had no confidence in the balance - the car was constantly breaking away from me. Then I go into Qualifying and the car is there… the balance is there at least, so I was building and building and building. Some more laps and I think we could have probably done better, but I think ultimately the tyres were the issue for us".

Although Hamilton is left feeling a lot more optimistic about Ferrari’s chances on race day, Leclerc does not share his belief, even though he is only marginally off the pace set by his team mate in Q3. The Monegasque qualifies P6, which does mark a disappointing departure from the performance that sees him seize second place in the Sprint, causing him to bemoan the differences that appear between sessions. Leclerc says:

"Second is the prep lap that we’ve done, that the others seem to not have done. I don’t feel like my tyres would have been ready without that preparation lap, but we’ve got to be open-minded and look at what the others have done. It’s a very tough track to overtake on, so that’s why Qualifying was so important. To start P6 is less than ideal. But now it’s the way it is. We’ll have to maximise the start, hopefully. It’s been two race starts that haven’t been particularly smooth, so I hope the one tomorrow is".

Zandvoort’s final weekend on the F1 calendar already witnesses plenty of action both on and off the track during the opening days, from Verstappen’s new Red Bull deal through to the return of the Sprint Race. But after all of that, the attentions of the paddock turn to Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix, for which Norris - a previous winner of the event back in 2024 - starts from pole position, the McLaren driver having beaten Russell and Antonelli to the fastest time in Qualifying. It is confirmed that one alteration has been made to the starting order prior to the race, with Perez set to start from the pit lane after the Cadillac team makes set-up changes to his car under Parc Ferme conditions. While Saturday’s track action takes place in dry conditions, heavy rain starts to fall at Zandvoort in the build-up to Sunday’s Grand Prix - leading to a tricky drive to the grid for some, with Lawson having a moment and running through the gravel. There looks to be a mixture of intermediate and full wet tyres on display as the field heads to their grid slots, Verstappen being amongst those to opt for the latter compound - but with the showers easing as the start time nears, uncertainty remains over whether the track has dried out enough for slicks in the opening laps. It is soon revealed that much of the pack has bolted on the soft tyres for the expected one-stop race, while the top four - along with Gasly, Colapinto and Ocon - have gone for the mediums and the Cadillac pair of Bottas and Perez opt for the hards. After completing the formation lap behind the Safety Car, the cars line up for the start - and when the five lights go out, Norris holds the lead but Antonelli makes a better launch than Russell, the Italian taking P2 into the first corner. Leclerc, meanwhile, moves ahead of Piastri into fourth, while the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Lawson engage in some wheel-to-wheel racing. The action dramatically comes to a halt one lap later, however, when Verstappen dips a wheel across the white line on the main straight before losing the rear and hitting the wall heavily. 

With debris strewn across the track, the Dutchman fortunately reports that he is okay as the red flags are thrown, leading to the rest of the pack heading to the pits. Bortoleto, meanwhile, suffers a separate 360-degree spin behind Verstappen but manages to keep on going, the Brazilian dropping down to P18 - with Hulkenberg fortunate to avoid contact with his team mate. Amid the pause in proceedings, both Lindblad and Colapinto find themselves under investigation for yellow flag infringements. Meanwhile, it is confirmed ahead of the race restart that the order of the field resumes from that seen at the end of Lap 1, with a standing start set to take place. Ahead of the race restarting at 3:33 p.m. local time, Norris switches to the soft tyres while the Mercedes duo remain on the mediums and Piastri swaps to the hards. There is further drama en route to the grid, however, when Bearman stops with a technical issue between Turns 10 and 11, leading to an extra formation lap while the Haas is cleared. When the action finally resumes, Antonelli makes an impressive getaway to sweep ahead of Norris - but it is a better restart for the other McLaren of Piastri, with the Australian overtaking Russell for P3. This drops Russell into the clutches of Leclerc, the Ferrari man quickly piling on the pressure in the fight for fourth. The stewards confirm that both Lindblad and Colapinto serve a drive-through penalty for their yellow flag infringements. Back on track, Norris remains just within a second of Antonelli as the laps tick down but Piastri starts to pull away from Russell, the Mercedes still keeping Leclerc and Hamilton at bay. The sole Red Bull of Lawson runs in seventh by Lap 10, with Gasly, Hulkenberg and Tsunoda filling the rest of the points-paying positions. Up at the front, Antonelli soon ekes out his advantage over Norris to 1.4s, meaning that the Briton is not able to use Overtake Mode. There is further news from the stewards when it is announced that Bortoleto and Bearman will be investigated after the race for leaving the pit exit on a red light. Meanwhile, as Antonelli and Norris break away at the front, Russell continues to find himself under pressure from the two Ferraris - with the Mercedes driver asking his race engineer about going onto the original Plan A. Norris is quizzed on how his tyres feel as Lap 16 arrives, leading the World Champion to answer:

"I’m pace zero - I’ve got nothing else".

Leclerc, on the other hand, looks racy as he moves even closer to Russell - just before the Silver Arrows racer dives into the pits for a set of the hard tyres, bringing him back out into P9 amongst some traffic. Piastri subsequently pits one lap later for the hards but a slow stop costs the Australian, who returns to the track behind Russell. Antonelli then stops from the lead on Lap 22 along with Norris, and both suffer slower visits than they might hope for as they also bolt on the hard compound. Leclerc opts for the mediums as he too pits, leaving Hamilton to lead the race as one of the only frontrunners yet to stop. Plenty of question marks persist over strategy plans and whether some go for a two-stop plan - but Hamilton seems content with his tyres, reporting to his race engineer that they are still okay. It is not too long, though, until Hamilton makes his pit stop for the hard tyres on Lap 26, the Briton re-emerging into clean air in sixth place. Meanwhile a fierce battle plays out in the midfield as a lock-up from Gasly sees Lindblad overtake - with Hulkenberg also sneaking through and eventually getting ahead of the Racing Bulls car too, before Tsunoda gets involved and overtakes Gasly. By Lap 30, Norris reduces the gap to Antonelli down to just under one second while Leclerc is on the charge again, the Ferrari this time chasing down Piastri for fourth. Norris’ pursuit drops away somewhat a few laps later after a snap - but Leclerc is done waiting and makes a move on Piastri by taking the outside line. This puts Hamilton hot on the tail of Piastri, and it is not long until the Briton also snatches a position from the McLaren, dropping the latter down into P6. By the halfway point of the race, Antonelli continues to lead from Norris, Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton, Piastri, Lawson, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda and Gasly. After clearing several backmarkers, the gap between Antonelli and Norris is again reduced to 0.7s by Lap 40 - while yet again Leclerc looks to be gearing up for another battle as the Monegasque closes in on Russell in the scrap for third. Just one lap later, Antonelli heads to the pits for a set of hard tyres and is soon followed by Russell, bringing the pair out in fourth and sixth respectively. Over at Ferrari, Hamilton is all over the back of Leclerc and the World Champion is quick to voice his frustration, Leclerc seemingly unwilling to let his team mate through. After ignoring a call to pit, the driver from Monaco follows the instruction one tour later on Lap 44 and, following a fairly slow stop, returns to the track in P6 on hard tyres. 

"Great waste of time there, guys".

Hamilton sarcastically comments on the situation. Piastri is the next to pit and also suffers a slow stop, returning to the track in P6. Up ahead, Norris is leading by 10 seconds from Hamilton, followed by Antonelli, Russell and Leclerc - but it is all change again on Lap 48 when Norris makes his second visit to the pits, re-emerging in third just over five seconds away from Antonelli. That gap rapidly comes down over the laps that follow, with it dropping to 1.4s only three tours later. Hamilton, meanwhile, is in discussions with his team about strategy plans as the Briton remains in the lead. By Lap 52 Norris is nail-bitingly close to Antonelli, the Mercedes driver reporting struggles with his rear tyres. However, as Antonelli is within a second of Hamilton, the Italian is able to use Overtake Mode to defend against Norris. This does not stop Norris from making a move, however, as he sweeps ahead into Turn 1 - and only a few moments later, the Briton snatches P1 from Hamilton. Antonelli goes on to take another position from the seven-time World Champion, just before a Virtual Safety Car is deployed due to Ocon stopping out on track in the Haas. This triggers a flurry of action in the pit lane, with a number of cars opting to make a stop – including Antonelli, who swaps to the soft tyres and rejoins the track in third behind team mate Russell.

"Do you think we need to take it? I’m a bit worried now".

Norris asks, having not pitted - but the query is too late as the VSC period soon comes to an end. As the action resumes on Lap 58, the McLaren leads by 6.8s from Russell, who in turn has Antonelli around 5.6s away. As the race enters its final 10 laps, Antonelli closes to within 2.4s of Russell - yet Norris is still 10 seconds up the road. The Ferraris, meanwhile, are not out of the fight, with Hamilton only two seconds behind Antonelli. The call comes from Mercedes to switch their cars on Lap 65, leading to a slightly disgruntled response from Russell.

Regardless, the Briton follows the order and allows Antonelli through - but just as Russell comments that the team may have lost a double podium, Hamilton has rapidly closed in on the Russell's car. Colapinto’s day gets even tougher down in P14 as the Argentinian is hit with a 10-second time penalty for a yellow flag infringement. Meanwhile Hamilton is trying to find a way past Russell three laps from the finish, a charge that is momentarily paused when another Virtual Safety Car is called to clear some debris from the track, with replays showing a clash between the two Williams cars. Sainz subsequently receives a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision, but up ahead Russell is still trying to keep both Ferraris at bay. Elsewhere, Norris remains untroubled at the front and takes the chequered flag to seal his second consecutive Grand Prix victory. Antonelli follows in second, while Russell is able to hold onto his third place by less than one second from Hamilton. Leclerc is in turn only half a second away from his team mate, while Piastri comes home in a much lonelier sixth. Lawson claims seventh during his solid stand-in performance for Red Bull, despite being handed a 10-second time penalty for a yellow flag infringement during the latter stages. Hulkenberg, Alonso and Gasly complete the points finishers. Lando Norris is left feeling over the moon after he passes Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton with a pair of spectacular overtakes to win the Dutch Grand Prix, marking his second victory of the season. Starting from pole position, the McLaren driver’s clean opening lap is halted following a scary crash for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, which results in a red flag and eventual restart for the remaining competitors. It is on this second attempt that Norris loses the lead to Antonelli, forcing him to launch an attack that lasts for the majority of the race. Through multiple pit stops, he drops to third place on track and patiently waits for the perfect time to strike, which comes on Lap 54 of 72. Heading into Turn 1, the reigning World Champion goes around the outside of Antonelli in a decisive manoeuvre before closing up to Hamilton, who he passes on the same lap to reclaim the lead.

"Yesterday I said we needed to put on a bit of a show for everyone for the final race here, so I made it tough for myself today but it was a good race, well-fought. Probably one of my better wins - we had to fight for it well but the pace was strong. We managed things incredibly well today so I'm over the moon, very happy. Nice to win the final race here in Zandvoort. The move was good. I knew I wasn’t going to get many chances. Every lap I spent behind Antonelli, my odds were getting lower and lower. I saw Lewis defended and I knew that was my moment. I did a couple of clicks on my brake balance. I knew I was going to commit to the braking and that move won me the race. Just well-played on my part. I knew I had to make it and I probably had one chance to really make it happen and I made the most of it".

A series of upgrades introduced by McLaren in recent rounds helps them take a significant step towards the front of the field, demonstrated not only by this Zandvoort triumph, but also by Norris’ win at the previous event in Hungary. As a result of their improvement, he is fourth in the standings and just 24 points trails Hamilton and George Russell, who are now level. McLaren are arguably enjoying the best trajectory of any team on the grid, making it possible that the Briton could try and pursue another title. Asked whether he is considering the prospect of a comeback, Norris says: 

"It sounds boring but one race at a time. Not a lot of people say it now but it’s the truth of it - there’s no point thinking that far ahead. I need to concentrate now on having a nice little break. Obviously two great weekends but we just need to reset, to learn as much as we can. I think there are still plenty of things we can do better and we need to do better if we want to fight for a championship. I’m very pleased with the team. I’m pleased with how much work everyone’s doing and so happy I can deliver it for them and bring two wins in a row. It’s still harder than I would like and I want a bigger gap. We have to keep working hard. There are still plenty of races, plenty of opportunities for everyone. Keep my head down, keep working and they’ll keep coming".

Max Verstappen is unable to complete a lap of Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix at the Zandvoort Circuit, with the Red Bull driver dramatically crashing out in front of his home fans. Verstappen arrives at the event amid a wave of positivity after agreeing a contract extension that keeps him at the Milton Keynes-based team until at least the end of 2030. However, as Red Bull struggles for pace throughout the Sprint Race event, the four-time World Champion’s already disappointing weekend concludes when he rounds the final corner of his opening lap. Losing control on the inside of the banking, which is still damp in places due to pre-race showers, Verstappen’s car slams into the barriers on the outside of the track, slides back across it and then comes to a halt with one of its wheels missing. Asked how he is feeling when he arrives at the television pen, given the significant impact, Verstappen says:

"Good. I think I still hit the safer barrier maybe, potentially. But I think also a more frontal impact with the barrier is actually a bit better than a sideways one, so from that sense all okay".

Verstappen is then asked for his overriding emotions from the weekend as a whole - Zandvoort, and his home race, now dropping off the F1 calendar.

"This weekend, of course, was disappointing. I think disappointing pace, and a disappointing end to the weekend. I think you can sum it up like that".

Kimi Antonelli is left disappointed at ending the Dutch Grand Prix in second place but also takes the positives from a weekend where he struggles for confidence in the car, with the Italian feeling that his two strong starts save his race. After overtaking Mercedes team mate George Russell for P2 when the event gets underway, Antonelli goes one better during the subsequent restart - with the race red-flagged following a heavy crash for Max Verstappen - and snatches the lead from Lando Norris. While Antonelli goes on to hold the position for many laps, Norris catches up to the championship leader during the final third of the Grand Prix and retakes P1. The 19-year-old opts to make an extra pit stop when a late Virtual Safety Car is called, dropping him behind Russell - but Mercedes makes the call to invert their cars, allowing Antonelli to move up into second. Reflecting on the race afterwards, the Italian says:

"I’m a bit disappointed because we've led most of that half of the race. But yeah, on that last stint on the hard tyre, something just didn't feel right with the car - I just had really little confidence and the pace was not there. Of course it's a shame, because I really believed in it. But today was at the end P2, it’s the maximum that we could have done".

Having conceded that he does not feel totally at ease behind the wheel of the W17 during the event at Zandvoort, Antonelli acknowledges that it is for sure encouraging to still bring home a strong result.

"I think it was one of the weekends where I felt the least confident with the car overall. But still, I think today what really saved us were the starts. Two good starts, and managed to gain places in both. At the end we managed to finish P2, which is a great result for the team. Also George did a great, great job. He was a great team player today. Really happy with that, and now we look forward to Monza".

Antonelli also admits in the aftermath of the race that Mercedes has a challenge ahead of them in terms of keeping tabs on McLaren, with Norris claiming his second consecutive Grand Prix victory.

"Of course now as a team we need to find a little bit of time because McLaren have done a huge step. We’ve got to keep pushing".

George Russell accepts that Mercedes’ call for him to pull aside and allow team mate Kimi Antonelli through is the right decision, even though it leaves him at the mercy of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the Dutch Grand Prix. It is a tricky race day for the Silver Arrows as neither driver seems to be comfortable with their cars, which is especially true for Russell, who loses a position to Antonelli on the opening lap before dropping behind Oscar Piastri at the restart. He then ends up in a tight battle for P4 with the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, which only comes to an end when Russell dives into the pits. Further stops result in him surging back into his original position of P2, with Antonelli rapidly closing up. By that point, eventual winner Lando Norris is too far ahead to catch, but Mercedes still requests that Russell lets the Italian past - something that goes directly against his earlier suggestion that they think about working as a team to guarantee a double podium finish. He nevertheless obeys and later admits:

"Kimi was ahead of me anyway so he deserved to finish ahead. Of course when you’re in the race, you want to fight for every single position. With the pace with the new tyre, he would’ve overtaken me anyway so it was the right decision. Just happy to be standing on the podium. It’s been a little while for me. It’s been a strong weekend overall so I’ll take the positives".

The Briton only just manages to fend off Hamilton for P3 as his former team mate crosses the line less than a second behind, marking a stark difference from the performance that sees him secure a commanding victory in the Sprint just a day earlier. Despite the frustration, Russell is left feeling content with how the round plays out for him, explaining that it is an improvement on previous events.

"I come away from this weekend as a whole satisfied - it’s been my best weekend for quite a while. I’ll take those positives. I think that first VSC towards the end came at a tough point because it gave Lewis that opportunity to get a free pit stop. Kimi was really struggling on the hard tyre and I was catching him just before he got overtaken by Lando. At that point in the race, I was like: I think P2 is on the cards here, then of course we split the strategies at the end. Considering that as a team we’re not as dominant as we once were, this weekend I definitely would’ve taken P1 yesterday and P3 today. It wasn’t a perfect race - the start wasn’t great, I lost the position, I was sleeping a bit with Piastri. I was on a different energy deployment at the beginning and didn’t even look in my mirrors. I just went up to the corner and next thing, he’s on my inside. That caught me off guard so I was a bit disappointed with that, but P3 was a fair result".

Lewis Hamilton explains the emotions behind his radio messages during the middle phase of the Dutch Grand Prix, with the seven-time World Champion voicing his frustration after spending several laps stuck behind the sister Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Hamilton is hot on the tail of the other Scuderia car by Lap 43 of the 72-lap event and feels that he has more pace - but Leclerc seems reluctant to let his team mate by, and also opts against a call to pit. Leclerc dives into the pits one lap later, which releases Hamilton, but the Briton makes his displeasure about the situation clear as he sarcastically radios in:

"Great waste of time there, guys".

Hamilton also sounds disgruntled later in the race when asking the team if he will be pitting under a Virtual Safety Car phase, having commented:

"Are you using me as a guinea pig?"

Before the team calls him in to pit. He goes on to cross the line in fourth, despite chasing Mercedes’ George Russell for the final spot on the podium until the chequered flag. Speaking after the Grand Prix, Hamilton is asked if his radio messages show just how competitive the field is at the moment, with good results hanging on such decisions - leading him to draw comparison to the situation at the Silver Arrows, who opt to swap Russell and Kimi Antonelli during the closing stages.

"Yeah, I want to win. I'm here to win, and it is difficult when you see… when you're looking ahead and you see the two Mercedes drivers, they get the call and it's done and they execute straight away. They let Kimi by and let him get on with the race, and I was on a different strategy and it was not the same here. That's a little difficult, but we'll take it offline and when I go back now I'll speak to them about it".

Hamilton admits that he gives it absolutely everything during the race, and praises Ferrari for the performance of their car.

"I tell you, it's so close at the top, really, really hard battling. But I moved forwards - I think our Qualifying needed to be a bit better, but Mercedes are gaining like four tenths a second just on the straight, so that's really hard to capture everywhere else. It just shows we've got a really good car. If we can somehow improve our power unit and get a bit closer to them, which I trust in the team that they're working as hard as they can to do so. Hopefully we can be even closer and even more in the mix between those guys".

Toto Wolff explains Mercedes’ call to invert their cars during the latter stages of the Dutch Grand Prix, with George Russell asked to allow Kimi Antonelli through into second place. Antonelli runs in P2 behind McLaren’s Lando Norris when a Virtual Safety Car is called in the final phase of the race, and the Italian is amongst those to take the opportunity to pit for fresher tyres. This brings him back out on track in third - behind Norris and Russell, both of whom opt to stay out during the VSC. On Lap 65 of 72, Mercedes informs Russell that they will switch the cars, a request that is initially met with a disgruntled response from Russell. The Briton follows the order and allows Antonelli through, but voices his concern that the team might have lost a double podium as the Ferrari pair of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc rapidly close in. As it is, Russell manages to keep both of the Scuderia’s cars at bay and finishes in P3, with Antonelli retaining second place. Quizzed on the thinking about the strategy call after the race, Wolff tells:

"I think this is the policy that we always have, and we discussed it many times and also in the morning. We're not losing time with each other and having Ferraris breathing down our neck. Especially before the inverting, Kimi was ahead - he didn't need to pit, so George ended where he ended, with the threat of the Ferraris obviously. So the switch was the logical consequence".

The Mercedes Team Principal goes on to suggest that the weekend is good and tough at times, adding:

"I think today we thought we had to pace to win the race and that ran away when we went onto the hard tyre. We don't understand why, but when you look at it from the bittersweet side, we finished with a P2 and P3. We outscored Ferrari in points, so that is okay".

With Norris winning in Zandvoort, Wolff acknowledges that the competition will continue to be tight going forward.

"It's a development fight, and at the moment we are a bit stuck. We need to just keep on performing and executing well, because the upgrades are still a little bit away".